MANKATO, Minn. — Mareks Mitens stopped all 29 shots he faced in net and Pete Veillette scored the second game-winning goal of his collegiate career as No. 18 Lake Superior State defeated No. 6/7 Minnesota State 1-0 in Western Collegiate Hockey Association play on Saturday night at Verizon Center.
A day after the Lakers had their eight-game unbeaten streak snapped, Lake Superior State (15-7-2, 10-6-2 WCHA) snapped Minnesota State's (19-6-1, 13-4-0-0 WCHA) 12-game home winning streak. The home loss is the first of the season for the Mavericks as the Lakers improved to 10-2-0 in road games.
The only goal of the game came at the 8:05 mark of the first period. On an odd man rush, freshman winger Melvin Karlsson skated towards the right circle in the offensive zone before passing the puck to Veillette, all alone in the slot, who wired a wrist shot past Minnesota State's freshman netminder Dryden McKay (12-5-1). Karlsson and junior defenseman Steven Ruggiero tallied their second and third assists of the season, respectively.
Mitens (4-4-0), a sophomore goaltender, made the lead hold up — stopping nine shots in the first period, nine in the second period and 11 in the third period. A few of his saves came on high-quality scoring opportunities by Minnesota' State's leading scorers: Marc Michaelis and Parker Toumie.
The shutout is the second of the season for Mitens, who also made 31 saves in a 1-0 road win over Merrimack on Oct. 7.
Veillette, a freshman winger, has scored two goals this season with both being game winners.
Karlsson has recorded a point in three of his last four games played, including assists on two game-winning goals.
Shots on goal were 29-11 in favor of Minnesota State.
Neither team scored on the power play as the Lakers went 0-of-1 and the Mavericks were 0-of-3.
Senior center Diego Cuglietta and senior winger Anthony Nellis are both 2019 Hobey Baker Award nominees. Fans are allowed to cast a vote for one player each day by going to https://www.hobeybaker.com/vote.
The Lakers return home to face WCHA foe Bemidji State on Jan. 25-26 at Taffy Abel Arena. Both games are slated for 7 p.m.
On Friday, Jan. 25, Laker Hockey will host the ninth annual 'White Out' domestic and sexual violence awareness night, in partnership with the Diane Peppler Center and the Sexual Violence Prevention Team of the Eastern Upper Peninsula. The first 1,000 fans to enter Taffy Abel Arena will receive a free shirt to wear at the game. Tickets may be purchased at the Norris Center Ticket Office or online. For additional ticket information, call (906) 635-2602.
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