SOUTH BEND, Ind. - The Lake Superior State hockey team lost to the No. 4/5 Notre Dame Fighting Irish in a high-scoring 6-4 game on Saturday, Oct. 26 at the Compton Family Ice Arena in South Bend, Ind. The Lakers completed their early season non-conference play with a 2-6-0 record and will open Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) conference play next week. 

The second game of the two-game series against Notre Dame would begin with two different starting netminders leading their respective teams onto the ice. For the Lakers, junior Roman Bengert would get the start for the first time in his collegiate career while senior goalie Cale Morris got the nod for Notre Dame. 

Bengert had a solid game in net for the Lakers and would make one of his best saves of the game on an early penalty kill, when he made a diving glove save on Notre Dame forward Colin Theisen to keep the game scoreless. 

The Lakers would open the game's scoring at 9:42 of the first period when captain Collin Saccoman notched his second goal of the season. Saccoman and Ambrosio would exchange passes through the neutral zone before the Saccoman would skate in close to Morris and beat the Irish goalie high to give the Lakers the game's first lead. 

Notre Dame would net two goals in :16 seconds late in the first period to retake the lead. 

Before the period expired, Yuki Miura's strong play would continue as he would tie the game at two. Miura would capitalize on a play set up by Tyler Anderson and Hampus Eriksson with less than a minute remaining in the period. 

Less than a minute into the second period, Notre Dame would regain the lead when Spencer Stastney scored. 

Saccoman would respond with his second goal of the game to once again even the score between the teams. The defenseman would record his first career multi-goal game as he scored on the power play following a lengthy offensive shift by the Lakers as the power play unit was able to move the puck around the zone well. Pete Veillette sent a pass to freshman Louis Boudon who found Saccoman wide open just outside the crease to tap the puck behind Morris.

The Fighting Irish would cap off the second period's scoring with an even strength goal from Jake Pivonka at 11:21 of the frame to put ND ahead 4-3.

In the third period, Notre Dame would extend its lead to 6-3 thanks to a pair of goals from the team's leading point scorer, Mike O'Leary. The power play goal that O'Leary netted at 8:30 of the period would stand as the game winner. 

Lake State would try to rally late in the game as defenseman Will Riedell's goal at 15:51 of the third period would bring the Lakers within a pair of goals with over four minutes left in the game. Ambrosio would notch his second point of the game on the play while Miroslav Mucha would add the second helper. 

Despite outshooting the Irish 14-4 in the third period, the Lakers effort fell short as the game would end at 6-4. Lake State outshot the Irish 33-30 in the contest.

In his first career start, Bengert played a strong game for the Lakers stopping 24 shots from the Fighting Irish, including 14 in the first period. Morris would finish the game with 29 total saves. 

Next weekend, the Lakers will open conference play with a two-game home series against the Ferris State Bulldogs on Friday, Nov. 1 and Saturday, Nov. 2. Both games are set for a 7:07 p.m. puck drop at Taffy Abel Arena in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. In honor of Mayor Tony Bosbous' 18-year tenure coming to a close, the Lakers will hold "Thank You Mayor Tony" night on Saturday. More details can be found here. 

For more information, visit lssulakers.com

To purchase tickets, click here or call (906) 635-2601. 

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Notes: Freshmen forwards Robert Blueger and Niko Esposito-Selivanov would make their collegiate debuts for the Lakers… Hampus Eriksson (1-2-3) and Louis Boudon (2-1-3) each extended their point streaks to three games... Collin Saccoman notched his first career multi-goal game (2G)... Junior Roman Bengert recorded his first career start in goal and finished the game with 24 saves to set a new career high… Nine different players would tally at least a point in the game… Alex Ambrosio registered his first career multi-point game with two assists... Pete Veillette notched his second multi-assist game of the season (2A)... Yuki Miura tied his previous season high in goals with two.