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Preview: Hockey Heads to Northern Michigan for a Non-Conference Series

Preview: Hockey Heads to Northern Michigan for a Non-Conference Series

Scoring Summary

1st - 07:43 - Ty Readman (Northern Michigan)
2nd - 02:52 - PP - Alex Frye (Northern Michigan)
3rd - 07:33 - SH - Pete Veillette (Lake Superior State)
3rd - 17:27 - Pete Veillette (Lake Superior State)
OT - 00:26 - PP - Louis Boudon (Lake Superior State)

Game Leaders

Lake Superior State
G: Pete Veillette - 2
A: Ashton Calder - 2
Sh: 3 Players (#15, #26, #29) - 4
Sv: Mareks Mitens - 32
Northern Michigan
G: 2 Players (#2, #26) - 1
A: Joseph Nardi - 2
Sh: AJ Vanderbeck - 9
Sv: Nolan Kent - 29

Team Stats

Lake Superior State
Northern Michigan

PowerPlays

1 for 8
1 for 6

Shorthanded Goals

1
0

Penalties (min)

6 (12)
9 (29)

Shots on Goal

32
34

Face Offs Won

26
41
full stats

Scoring Summary

1st - 00:43 - PP - Pete Veillette (Lake Superior State)
1st - 04:26 - PP - Mitchell Oliver (Lake Superior State)
2nd - 05:35 - Louis Boudon (Lake Superior State)
3rd - 05:55 - PP - Joseph Nardi (Northern Michigan)
3rd - 18:19 - EN - Hampus Eriksson (Lake Superior State)

Game Leaders

Lake Superior State
G: 4 Players (#7, #24, #26, #29) - 1
A: 3 Players (#16, #22, #26) - 2
Sh: Will Riedell - 5
Sv: Mareks Mitens - 27
Northern Michigan
G: Joseph Nardi - 1
A: 2 Players (#2, #19) - 1
Sh: Michael Van Unen - 6
Sv: Nolan Kent - 24

Team Stats

Lake Superior State
Northern Michigan

PowerPlays

2 for 8
1 for 6

Shorthanded Goals

0
0

Penalties (min)

8 (27)
9 (18)

Shots on Goal

28
28

Face Offs Won

31
24
full stats
Jan 07, 2021

Game Notes

For Starters                                                                                                                                                                                

  • Lake Superior State will travel to Marquette, Mich. to take on the Northern Michigan Wildcats in the team's final non-conference series of the season on Friday, Jan. 8 at 7:07 p.m. and Saturday, Jan. 9 at 6:07 p.m. at the Berry Events Center.
  • The series against NMU is a result of a conference schedule adjustment following both Alaska schools opting out of the 2020-21 season. Each WCHA team will also play two non-conference series against WCHA opponents. The Lakers played the first of the two non-conference series last weekend against Bemidji State.
  • For the seventh straight week, Lake Superior State has received votes in both the USCHO and the USA Today national polls. Earlier this season, the Lakers were ranked in the USCHO National Poll (No. 20, No. 19) for the first time since the 2018-19 season. 
  • Last weekend, the Lakers hosted the Bemidji State Beavers in a non-conference, home series on Saturday, Jan. 2 and Sunday, Jan. 3, posting a 4-1 loss in the first game and a 2-2 tie in the series closer. Through the first eight games of the season, the Lakers hold a 4-1-3 record. 
  • The Lakers returned for the program's 55th season in 2020-21 following a seventh place finish in the WCHA standings during the 2019-20 season as the team posted a 14-23-4 overall record and an 11-14-4 record in conference play. LSSU qualified for the WCHA postseason for the second consecutive season and would fall to the second seeded Bemidji State in the first round of the playoffs.
  • Lakers Head Coach Damon Whitten is in his seventh season behind the bench in Sault Ste. Marie in 2020-21. Whitten has led the team to a 84-127-27 record, and playoff appearances in all but one season.

Last Weekend Recap                                                                                                           

  • In Saturday's game against the Beavers, the Lakers allowed the first goal of the game for the first time this season. Junior forward Miroslav Mucha tied the game at one for the Lakers with his third goal of the season, extending his goal streak to a career-best three games. 
  • Mucha's goal was assisted by senior forward Yuki Miura who registered his fourth assist of the season while Hampus Eriksson notched the secondary assist on the play to record his third point of the season. 
  • In the final minute of play, the Beavers scored two empty net goals to clinch the win by a score of 4-1. Lakers goaltender Mareks Mitens, who recorded his first loss of the season, finished the game with 29 saves on 31 shots. 
  • To close out the weekend, the Lakers rallied from a two goal deficit in the third period to earn a 2-2 tie against Bemidji State. 
  • Senior defenseman Will Riedell got the Lakers on the board at 6:02 of the third period with a goal that came one second after a Laker power play ended. Brandon Puricelli and Hampus Eriksson each notched an assist on the play. 
  • The Lakers, trailing by a goal with less than two minutes left in regulation, pulled Mitens for an extra attacker and junior forward Ashton Calder netted his team-leading fifth goal of the season to tie the game at two with 1:37 left in the game. 
  • Riedell registered his second point of the game with an assist while Jacob Nordqvist tallied the primary assist on the play as he took the original shot that was deflected by Calder. The two-point effort marked Riedell's second multi-point game of the season and the 10th of his career.
  • Following 65 minutes of play, the score remained tied at two and the Lakers would win the overtime shootout in the seventh round. Mucha scored the decisive goal to give the Lakers the shootout victory. 
  • Senior goaltender Mareks Mitens was in net for the Lakers and stopped 29 of the 31 shots he faced in the game to register his third tie of the season. 
  • The Lakers power play has not been able to connect through the first six games of the season with the team going 0-for-27 with the man advantage. LSSU's penalty kill has killed off 28 of 31 power plays, giving the team a 90.3% success rate while down a skater. 
  • The Lakers hold a 44-74-13 record all-time against Northern Michigan. The two teams most recently played each other in Feb. 2019, with each recording a win at the Taffy Abel Arena in Sault Ste. Marie. 

In the Polls                                                                                            

  • For the seventh straight week, Lake Superior State has received votes in both the USCHO and the USA Today national polls. Earlier this season, the Lakers were ranked in the USCHO National Poll (No. 20, No. 19) for the first time since the 2018-19 season. 
  • In the WCHA Preseason Polls,  Lake Superior State was picked to finish in the sixth spot in both polls, receiving 49  total points in the 2020-21 WCHA Preseason Coaches Poll and 44 total points in the 2019-20 WCHA Preseason Media Poll.

Balanced Attack                                                                                     

  • 17 Lakers have notched at least a point this season and five players have recorded at least five points through the first six games of the season and. 10 skaters have scored a goal for the Lakers this season with five of them scoring two or more goals this season. 
  • The Lakers have two players among the top 22 scorers in the WCHA (Calder, Riedell).
  • Lake Superior State's skaters will return 60% of last season's goal scoring (58 of 96 total goals), 81% of last season's assist totals (142 of 176 total assists) and 74% of the total points recorded (200 of 272 total points). 
  • Four of the Lakers top five goal scorers from last season are back this season (Calder, Veillette, Boudon, Eriksson), nine of the top 10 assist scorers (Boudon, Eriksson, Calder, Veillette, Riedell, Miura, Nordqvist, Kaelble, Oliver), and nine of the top 10 point getters (Calder, Boudon, Veillette, Eriksson, Riedell, Miura, Nordqvist, Kaelble, Manz). 
  • LSSU had five players among the top 33 scorers in the WCHA last season, with all but one returning to the lineup this season. 
  • Last season the Lakers had nine players record 10 or more points with eight of those skaters returning this season. Five players registered at least 24 points and four of them are returning members of the 2020-21 squad. 
  • Nine different players netted the game winning goal for the Lakers in 2019-20 - with six of those players returning to the lineup this year. 

Anchored Down                      

  • The Lakers return a strong back end presence with five defensemen who played 30 or more games last season as well as the team's starting goaltender, Mareks Mitens.
  • Heading into the 2020-21 season, the returning Laker defensemen combine for 357 career collegiate games played while adding 22 goals, and 94 assists for a total of 116 points.
  • Senior defenseman Lukas Kaelble, the Laker captain, has recorded 11 multi-point games in his career, including two this season. Most recently, the defenseman posted a two assist game against Alabama Huntsville on Dec. 6 in the Lakers 3-2 win.
  • The senior strung together a three game point streak (0-5-5) earlier this season, spanning from Nov. 29 at Adrian to Dec. 6 against UAH. 
  • Kaelble was awarded the team's Most Valuable Defenseman at the close of the 2019-20 season. The defenseman played in all 41 games for the Lakers last season and totaled 12 points (2G, 10A). Kaelble led the Lakers in blocked shots with 39. 
  • Senior defenseman Will Riedell scored his first goal of the season on Nov. 27 in the Lakers 5-3 win over Adrian College and would add an assist later in the game to record his first multi-point game of the season. Riedell's second multi-point game of the season and the 10th of his career came on Jan. 3 against Bemidji as he scored the game's opening goal and assisted on the game tying goal. 
  • With six points (2G, 4A) this season, Riedell ranks second on the Lakers in points. 
  • Riedell and Kaelble both rank in the top eight in points among WCHA defensemen this season. 
  • On Thursday, Dec. 3, Will Riedell was named WCHA Defenseman of the Month for his play in the month of November. Riedell led all WCHA defenseman in points (3) and was tied for second in points among all NCAA defensemen. Among WCHA defensemen, Riedell was tied for first in goals (1) and assists (2) while also ranking second in plus/minus (+4).
  • Riedell is coming off a career year as he appeared in all 41 games for the Lakers during the 2019-20 season and set personal highs in all offensive categories. The alternate captain recorded five goals, 13 assists and 18 points and ranked first among Laker defensemen in assists and points. 
  • Riedell led the team with a +13 rating and registered five multi-point games, including a career-best three point game (3A) on Feb. 7 at Michigan Tech. His best month of the season came in February as he  recorded nine points (3G, 6A) in eight games and was named WCHA Defenseman of the Week on Feb. 10 and was the WCHA Defenseman of the Month for February.
  • Junior Jacob Nordqvist and junior Mitchell Oliver round out the remaining upperclassmen returning on the blue line for the Lakers. Nordqvist played in 35 games for the Lakers in 2019-20 and finished the season with 13 points (2G, 11A). He was tied for second on the team in game winning goals with two. Oliver competed in 38 games for the Lakers last season and recorded eight assists.  In his first game back into the lineup this season following an off-season injury, Oliver scored the shootout winning goal in the fifth round of the Lakers 2-2 tie against UAH on Dec. 5. 
  • Three of last year's regulars recorded at least 12 points - Will Riedell (18), Nordqvist (13), and Kaelble (12).                                

Between the Pipes                                                                                                                              

  • Senior goaltender Mareks Mitens has started all eight games this season for the Lakers, posting a 2-1-3 record with a 1.68 goals against average and a .938 save percentage. 
  • Freshman goaltender Ethan Langenegger has played in two games for the Lakers this season, including his first career appearance on Nov. 29 against Adrian. Langenegger earned his first colleigiate win on Dec. 6 against Alabama Huntsville as the freshman goalie played the final twenty minutes of the 3-2 game.
  • Sophomore goaltender Seth Eisele entered the game for the Lakers at the start of the third period on Nov. 22 against Michigan Tech anad saved all seven shots he faced from the Huskies. Eisele, who recorded an assist on Calder's goal, earned his first collegiate win in his first appearance in net as a Laker. 
  • On Thursday, Dec. 3, Mareks Mitens was named WCHA Goaltender of the Month for his play in the month of November. Mitens allowed five goals over the course of four games for the Lakers, posting a 2-0-1 record which included his sixth career shutout on Nov. 21 in a 0-0 tie against Michigan Tech. Among WCHA goaltenders in the month of November, the senior netminder ranked first in minutes played (204:33), first in saves made (77), first in shots faced (82), first in wins (2), and tied for first in shutouts (1). 
  • Mitens was awarded the WCHA's Goaltender of the Week award for his play against Michigan Tech on Nov. 21-22, as he stopped 41 of the 42 shots he faced in 105:00 minutes in net. The senior goalie finished the weekend with a .976 save percentage and a 0.57 goals against average. 
  • Mitens will backstop the Lakers this season, following a strong 2019-20 season in net (2.57 GAA, .911%). Mittens appeared in 39 games, making 38 starts and finished the season with a career-best 13 wins.
  • Mitens ranked first among all WCHA goaltenders in games played and games started, and played more minutes (2291:59) than any other NCAA netminder in 2019-20. The Ventspils, Latvia native, who finished the season with 1,002 saves, was one of three NCAA goalies to make 1000 or more saves last season.
  • The netminder finished the season in fifth place among WCHA goalies in save percentage and seventh place among that same group in goals against average 
  • Mitens was named WCHA Goaltender of the Week on Dec. 16. 2019 after stopping 64 of 67 shots against No. 10 Bowling Green in a weekend split.
  • In the final month of the regular season, Mitens recorded a pair of shutouts (2/14/20 vs. UAH, 2/28/20 at Ferris State) to bring his career shutout total to five. The Laker goalie would go on to stop a season-high 45 shots in the Lakers 5-3 win over Bemidji State in game two of the WCHA Quarterfinals last season. 
  • Mitens appeared in 11 games for the Lakers in 2018-19 and 19 games in his freshman season in 2017-18. 

Lakers vs. Northern Michigan                                                                           

  • The Lakers and Bemidji State Beavers will meet for the first time this season, with a conference series scheduled for the first weekend of February in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. This series will be counted as non-conference in the standings. 
  • The Lakers will match up against the Wildcats for the first time since Feb. 2019, with each team recording a win at the Taffy Abel Arena in Sault Ste. Marie. 
  • Lake State currently holds possession of the Cappo Cup, winning last season's series by a one-goal differential. The winner of the regular season series each year is awarded the Cappo Cup, given annually since the 1994-95 season. The first installment was awarded by the late Monsignor Louis Cappo in 1991.
  • In the all-time series between the two teams, the Lakers hold a 44-74-13 record against Northern Michigan. 
  • Against NMU, Ashton Calder leads the teams with seven points (2G, 5A) while Lukas Kaelble ranks second among his teammates with five career points (5A) against the Wildcats.
  • Goaltender Mareks Mitens has played in three games against Northern Michigan, starting all three. Mitens holds a 1-2-0 record against the Wildcats. 

Scouting the Wildcats                                                                                                                                                 

  • Northern Michigan is led by Grant Potulny, who is in his fourth season leading the Wildcats.
  • In three previous seasons with the team, Coach Potulny boasts a 64-47-9 record and has led the team to two 20+ win seasons in his three seasons at the helm.
  • The Wildcats have played six games this season, compiling a record of 2-4-0. NMU  most recently played a series againat the No. 4 Minnesota State Mavericks, postinga pair of losses.
  • Offensively, the Wildcats are led by sophomore AJ Vanderbeck,  who has recorded seven points (5G, 2A) in six games this season. 
  • NMU brings back 18 individuals who saw ice-time in the 2019-20 season, including all three goaltenders and three of its top-four scorers. The team returns 79 goals from the 2019-20 season as well as 219 points, including league-leading scorer Griffin Loughran who posted 39 points (23-16-39) as a sophomore.
  • The Wildcats add 13 new faces to the team in 2020-21, including three transfers.
  • In goal, junior Nolan Kent and redshirt junior Connor Ryckman have split time for the Wildcats. Both netminders have started three games this season for Northern. 
  • Through six games, Bemidji's special teams have combined for a penalty kill percentage of 72.7% (16-for-22) while the power play is running at a 20.0% (4-for-20) success rate.  

Other Information                                                                                        

  • Every week Bill Crawford and Matt Pocket along with Head Coach Damon Whitten, the assistant coaches and players take a look at the Laker Hockey program.  A review of past games, a look ahead to future action and more information and insight on the team and players.  The show airs live every Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. on ESPN 1400. 
  • All Laker home and away games during the 2020-21 season will be available to watch live on FloHockey, the WCHA's streaming partner. For more information or to sign up for a subscription, visit https:/www.flohockey.tv. 
  • Bill Crawford and Matt Pocket will be calling the Laker games this season. The radio call will be available to listen to on 99.5 Yes FM, the official radio station of Laker hockey. The broadcast stream can also be accessed at www.yesfm.net