*Lake Superior State men's ice head coach Damon Whitten previews this Saturday's Blue & Gold Game and Sunday's exhibition opener vs. Laurentian. pic.twitter.com/n5uPQJChL8

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - Lake Superior State University men's ice hockey head coach Damon Whitten unofficially kicked off the 2017-18 season this Tuesday (Sept. 26) by previewing this Saturday's (Sept. 30) Blue and Gold Intrasquad Game and this Sunday's (Oct. 1) exhibition game against Laurentian University.  Both games will be held at the Taffy Abel Arena on the LSSU campus in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.

The Lakers will conduct their annual Blue and Gold Intrasquad Game this Saturday (Sept. 30) afternoon with a 3:07 p.m. (EDT) puck drop.  A donation entry fee is required for admittance to the game and all proceeds will go to the Laker Legion, which is LSSU's student cheering section.  The donation funds collected from the game will be used for a fan bus to a selected 2017-18 LSSU men's ice hockey away contest.  Following the game, a "Skate With the Lakers" will be held for fans along with a hockey student-athlete autograph session.

Lake Superior State, which was chosen to finish sixth in both the Western Collegiate Hockey Association's (WCHA) Mankato Free Press Preseason Coaches Poll and the WCHA's UAHHockey.com Media Poll for the upcoming 2017-18 season, will host the Laurentian University Voyageurs this Sunday (Oct. 1) at 3:07 p.m. (EDT).    

Both season and single-game tickets for the 2017-18 Lake Superior State men's ice hockey season are currently on sale and can be purchased online at www.lssulakers.com or by visiting the LSSU Norris Center Ticket Office.  Fans can also purchase tickets by calling 906-635-2602. 

LSSU compiled an 11-18-7 overall record and was 8-13-7 in the WCHA for the 2016-17 campaign.  The Lakers welcome back seven of their top nine points producers from last season, which includes two of their top points leaders in senior forward J.T. Henke (10-20=30) and junior forward Diego Cuglietta (12-13=25).