SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - The Lakers dropped a hard-fought game against the No. 10 ranked Bowling Green Falcons on Friday, Dec. 13 at the Taffy Abel Arena by a final score of 2-0. 

The opening period of the game saw evenly contested play between the teams with fast paced action between the Lakers and Falcons. The Lakers penalty killers would be put to work first in the game as Will Riedell was called for cross-checking at 13:24 of the first. Lake State killed off the minor to keep the game scoreless. 

Lakers goaltender Mareks Mitens would make 11 saves in the period including a stop on Casey Linkenheld off an odd man rush as well as a breakaway save on Connor Ford in the final seconds of the period. 

The Lakers best scoring opportunity came late in the first period off a play from Max Humitz and Pete Veillette. Humitz threaded a pass in the offensive zone to Veillette, redirecting the puck just over the Falcons net and goaltender, Eric Dop. 

With only a handful of stoppages in the period, both teams generated offense but both goalies stood tall as the first twenty minutes ended in a scoreless tie. 

The Lakers penalty killers would be tested throughout the second period with the Falcons coming close to capitalizing on the man advantage early in the frame. Bowling Green would get the puck on goal and Mitens was able to cover up the puck just before it fully crossed the goal line to deny the Falcons. 

During the Lakers third penalty kill of the second period, the Falcons would find a way to get the puck past Mitens to take a 1-0 lead in the game. The play would begin behind the Laker net with captain Alec Rauhauser connecting a pass to Brandon Kruse, who was set up in circle to Mitens' left. Kruse would set up the eventual goal scorer, Max Johnson, for a one timer that would make its way through traffic and into the net at 13:39 of the period. 

The Lakers best chances in the second period came during an offensive zone shift by the line of Veillette, Louis Boudon and Dustin Manz but the trio was unable to get the Lakers on the board. 

In the third period, the Lakers were unable to even the score despite their best efforts as they outshot the Falcons by a 13-11. The Lakers best chance in the period, and the game, when Louis Boudon had a shot on a wide open net that Falcons netminder Dop made the save on. 

Bowling Green would clinch the win when Cameron Wright netted an empty net goal at 19:50 of the third period to win 2-0. 

Mitens finished the game with 35 saves in the game, setting a new season high for saves. Dop stopped all 26 shots he faced in the game. 

Up Next

The Lakers and Falcons will wrap up the weekend series tomorrow night Saturday, Dec. 14 at 7:00 p.m. at the Taffy Abel Arena. 

For more information, visit lssulakers.com

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