SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – The Lake Superior State hockey team faced off against Alaska in a Western Collegiate Hockey Association matchup on Friday night, with the game going down as a 3-3 final.
The Lakers (5-1-1 overall, 2-0-1-0 WCHA) battled back after being down 3-0, tying it at 3-3 at the tail end of the third period. Both teams were scoreless in the first overtime frame (played 5-on-5), so the teams proceeded to a second overtime, this time 3-on-3. The Nanooks (0-7-2 overall, 0-2-1-1 WCHA) scored in that overtime period to pick up the additional point in the WCHA standings, but the final score goes down as 3-3.
Alaska got the scoring started at the 4:15 mark off a goal from Kylar Hope. The Nanooks then extended the lead to 2-0 when Troy Van Tetering found the back of the net just 19 seconds later. The Lakers doubled up Alaska in shots in the first period, 12-6, but went into the locker room down by two goals after the first 20 minutes.
The second period was scoreless on both sides, with Alaska picking up seven more shots to the Lakers' five.
Alaska extended the lead in the third period with a goal scored on the power play off the stick of the Nanooks' point-leader, Chris Jandric. The goal was scored 5:22 into the third period.
The Lakers got on the board at the 10:25 mark of the third frame, when Collin Saccoman notched his third goal of the season. Bryan Basilico and Chase Gamelin assisted on the tally.
Freshman defenseman and last week's WCHA Rookie of the Week Jacob Nordqvist scored his second goal of the season 14:01 into the third. Diego Cuglietta and William Riedell picked up the helpers on the goal.
Lake State tied it up a little over two minutes later as Riedell picked up his first goal of the season and second point of the game at the 16:22 mark of the third period. Cuglietta picked up his second assist of the night on the tally and Brayden Gelsinger picked up his sixth point of the season assisting on the goal.
With the score knotted at three at the end of regulation, the teams proceeded to a five-minute five-on-five overtime period. The extra five minutes didn't decide the winner, so the teams skated three-on-three for an extra minute and a half before Alaska's Colton Leiter scored unassisted to capture the extra point in the standings for the Nanooks.
In goal for the Lakers, Nick Kossoff (3-0-1) saved 17 of his 20 shots faced. On the other side of the ice, Anton Martinsson (0-6-2) made 24 saves on 27 shots.
The Lakers finished the game scoreless on three power play opportunities. Alaska capitalized on one of their five.
The series continues tomorrow as the teams face off at 7 p.m. at the Taffy Abel Arena. Tickets may be purchased at the Norris Center Ticket Office or at lssulakers.com/tickets.
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