For Starters                                                                                                                                                                                  

• No. 13 Lake Superior State (19-6-3, 9-5-0 WCHA) will play the University of Massachusetts Minutemen in the opening round of the NCAA Division I Men's Hockey Tournament on Friday, March 26 at 6:30 p.m. EST at the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Conn. The game will be nationally televised on ESPNU. 
• The winner will play in the East Regional Final on Saturday, March 27 at 5:00 p.m. against the winner of the Wisconsin/Bemidji State game. The Lakers are the No. 3 seed in the bracket while UMass is the No. 2 seed. Wisconsin is the highest seed in the East Regional while the Beavers round out the group as the lowest seed.
• Last weekend, the Lakers posted victories over the Bemidji State Beavers and the Northern Michigan Wildcats en route to the program's first WCHA Championship since joining the conference in 2013-14. The Lakers posted a 4-1 win over Bemidji State on Friday night in the program's 1000th all-time win and followed with a 6-3 win in the title game over Northern. 
• The Lakers earned the Jeff Sauer Championship Trophy as the program won a conference championship for the first time since the 1994-95 season and have advanced to the national tournament for the first time since the 1995-96 season. Lake Superior State has made 11 appearances in the Division I Tournament.
• Lake Superior State finished the regular season with 27 points in league play, which is tied with the Bowling Green Falcons. The Lakers swept the season series against the Falcons to win the tiebreaker to earn the second seed in the 2021 WCHA Playoffs. 
• It marks the highest regular season finish for Lake Superior State since the 1995-96 season when the team finished tied for first place in the CCHA standings. Lake Superior State's highest finish in the WCHA regular season standings was fourth place in 2018-19. It marks the second time since joining the WCHA that the Lakers have hosted a playoff series (2018-19). 
• Since Feb. 1, the Lakers have compiled an 13-3-0 overall record and two of the team's three losses have come in overtime. 
• For the ninth time this season, the Lakers are nationally ranked as LSSU holds the No. 13 spot in both the USCHO and USA Today polls. It marks the first time this season that the Lakers have been ranked in both polls. For the 17th straight week, the Lakers have received votes in at least one of the two national polls (USCHO and the USA Today). 
• 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. 
• Lakers Head Coach Damon Whitten begins his seventh season behind the bench in Sault Ste. Marie in 2020-21. Whitten has led the team to a 99-132-27 record, and playoff appearances in all but one season. 

Last Weekend Recap....                                                                                                                     

• In Friday's semifinal game against the Bemidji State Beavers, sophomore forward Brandon Puricelli scored the game's first goal to give the Lakers a 1-0. His linemates - Dustin Manz and Jack Jeffers - recorded the assists on the goal.
• Freshman defenseman Jacob Bengtsson scored his second goal of the season and his second game winning goal of the year when his shot gave the Lakers a 2-0 lead at 15:31 of the second period. Hampus Eriksson and Miroslav Mucha would each score their first points of the weekend with assists on the goal. 
• Eriksson would extend the lead to 3-0 in the final two minutes of the second period when he scored his sixth goal of the season, tying his previous career-high. Yuki Miura and Mucha tallied the assists. 
• Senior defenseman Lukas Kaelble capped off the Lakers scoring in the game with his second goal of the season at 4:14 of the third period. Eriksson added his third point of the contest, tying his single game best, with the lone assist. 
• Laker goaltender Mareks Mitens stopped 26 of the 27 shots he faced in the game as the senior recorded his 13th win of the season to tie his previous season high in wins. 
• With the victory, the Lakers advanced to the WCHA Championship for the first time since the program joined the conference at the start of the 2013-14 season. 
• On Saturday night, the Lakers played the Northern Michigan Wildcats for the first-ever postseason meeting between the two storied programs. 
• Manz gave the Lakers a 1-0 lead in the game just 1:20 seconds into the first period with Puricelli and Nordqvist recording the assists on the game's opening goal. Later that period, that line would combine for another goal as Puricelli extended his goal streak to four games. The goal which was assisted on by Manz and Jeffers gave the Lakers a 2-0 lead in the title game. 
• At 10:50 of the second period, Jacob Nordqvist scored his third goal of the year to build the Laker lead to 3-0. Mucha registered his third assist of the weekend while sophomore defenseman Arvid Henrikson tallied his first point of the season with an assist. 
• Later in the second period, Ashton Calder scored his first goal of the game, which would prove to be the eventual game winner. The junior forward's goal was assisted by Pete Veillette and Louis Boudon. 
• Calder would score his second goal of the game, to regain the Lakers three goal lead as the Wildcats scored a pair of goals to cut the lead to 4-2. The goal came while the Lakers were shorthanded as Calder scored his team-leading 14th goal of the season. Veillette's assist would mark his eighth multi-point game of the season and Lukas Kaelble's assist was the 50th of his career as a Laker. 
• Kaelble became the 86th Laker all-time to reach the 50 assist milestone. 
• Calder completed his second hat trick of the season at 17:24 of the third period as he scored an unassisted empty net goal to seal the 6-3 victory.
• Mitens totaled 25 saves in the Championship to record his career-best 14th win of the season. 
• This season, the Lakers power play has gone 13-for-108, totaling a 12.0% success rate while the team's penalty kill has killed off 82 of 100  power play opportunities (82.0%). 

In the Polls                                                                                       

• For the ninth time this season, the Lakers are nationally ranked as LSSU holds the No. 13 spot in both the USCHO and USA Today polls. It marks the first time this season that the Lakers have been ranked in both polls. For the 17th straight week, the Lakers have received votes in at least one of the two national polls (USCHO and the USA Today). 
• Previously this season, the Lakers have been ranked eight times in the USCHO National Poll, marking the first national ranking for the program since the 2018-19 season. LSSU has spent three weeks in the No. 20 spot, two weeks in the No. 19 spot,  two weeks as the No. 18 team and was most recently ranked in the No. 17 spot.
• 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.

1000 Wins                                                                                      

• On Friday, March 19 against Bemidji State, the Lake Superior State hockey program recorded its 1,000th all-time win. as the team earned its 999th all-time win on March 13 against Alabama Huntsville. 
• In the storied history of LSSU hockey, the program has combined for a 1,000-864-174 all-time record in 55 total seasons of competition. 
• Since the program's inception in 1966, Lake Superior State reached 1,000 wins in 2,037 games, totaling a .533 win percentage en route to the milestone victory.  The Lakers have become one of only four NCAA Division I programs to record 1,000 victories that began since 1946 (Bemidji State, Denver, Bowling Green).

Comin' in Hot                                                                    

• The Lakers enter the NCAA Tournament as winners of their last six consecutive games and have posted an 8-2-0 record in their last 10 contests. 
• Since Feb. 1, the Lakers have compiled an 13-3-0 overall record with only one regulation loss in that span. The 13 wins is  the most in the nation in that stretch. The Lakers have scored the most goals (57), assists (97), and points (154) in the NCAA since the start of February.
• Lake Superior State's .732 winning percentage ranks sixth nationally while its 19 wins is tied for fourth-best in the NCAA as of March 24. The Lakers have posted the program's highest win percentage since the 1995-96 season (.775). 
• Lake Superior State finished the regular season with a .688 win percentage in overall play, which ranks 11th in the NCAA, and a .643 win percentage in WCHA competition. The .688% mark is the program's highest since the 1995-96 season and the .643 conference percentage ties the 1999-00 Lakers mark in CCHA play. 
• Defensively, the Lakers rank eighth nationally in goals allowed per game (2.07) and have surrendered two goals or less in 71 percent of games this season (20-of-28). 
• Since Feb. 1, the Lakers have totaled a .812 win percentage which is third in the NCAA among teams who have played 10 or more games since then (Army, Minnesota State). The Lakers are first in wins (13) in the NCAA since Feb. 1. 
• Calder (10G) and Veillette (9G) ranks second and third respectively in goal scoring in the NCAA since Feb. 1. The pair trails only Wisconsin's Cole Caufield, who is the nation's leading goal scorer and will also compete in the East Regional.

All-Conference Recognition                                                                        

• Four Lakers received all conference honors following the end of the WCHA regular season. Forward Ashton Calder, defenseman Will Riedell, and goaltender Mareks Mitens earned All-WCHA Second Team honors while forward Pete Veillette earned All-WCHA Third Team honors.
• Calder finished the regular season leading the Lakers with 23 points (12G, 11A) in 24 games played. Calder ranked first on the team with 12 goals, which ties his previous season best, and second on the Lakers in assists with 11 this season. At the close of the regular season, Calder ranks tied for sixth among WCHA players in points this season and  tied for third among conference players in goals.
• Riedell finished the regular season with 15 points (5G, 10A) in 24 games this season. The defenseman ranks tied for third among his teammates and leads all Laker defensemen in the category this season. Riedell, an alternate captain for the Lakers, finished the regular season ranking third among WCHA defenseman in points and was one of four conference defenders with two or more game winning goals this season.
• Mitens ended the regular season with an 11-5-3 record in 21 starts for the Lakers. The senior netminder finished with a .934 save percentage which ranks second among all WCHA goaltenders, and a 1.86 goals against average, which is third best among his conference peers. Mitens finished the season ranking fourth in minutes played in the WCHA (1164:05) and third in saves (509). The senior is one of the nine finalists in Division I hockey for the Mike Richter Award, which is given to the top goaltender annually. In all but three of his 21 appearances in the regular season, Mitens has allowed two or fewer goals.
• Veillette posted 21 points (11G, 10A) in 24 games for the Lakers this season to rank second on the team in points and second in goals among the Lakers. Veillette ended the regular season riding a six game point streak (4G, 4A) and posted six multi-point games this season. Veillette finished the regular season tied for eighth in points in the conference and tied for fourth in goal scoring in the WCHA this year. The junior sits in fifth place among all WCHA skaters in plus/minus with a +17 rating.

Keys to Success                                                                  

• With an 8-2-0 record on the road this season, the Lakers were the last Division I program with an undefeated road record this season. All four of Lake Superior State's ranked wins have been on the road, including three wins in a row at then-No. 12 Bowling Green (Feb. 12-13) and at then-No. 18 Michigan Tech (Feb. 16). The Lakers' fourth ranked win was a 5-2 overtime victory at then-No. 17 Bemidji State on March 3.
• Among teams with 10 or more road games this season in the NCAA, the Lakers have the second best win percentage (.800%), behind only Minnesota. 
• When the Lakers have scored the game's first goal, the team holds a 13-0-1 record this season. LSSU has posted a 10-0-1 record when leading after one period and a perfect 12-0-0 record when leading after two periods of play. 
• Defensively, Lake Superior State ranks eighth nationally in goals allowed per game, surrendering just 2.07 scores per contest this season. The Lakers have surrendered two goals or less in 71 percent of their games this season (20-of-28).
• For the first time since the 2018-19 season, the Lakers have recorded a five game win streak (12/17/2018 - 1/11/2019, 8 wins). The win streak began with a road sweep of the then-ranked No. 12 Bowling Green Falcons. With a 2-1 win in overtime in Friday's game and a 5-2 victory on Saturday night, the Lakers earned a sweep over a ranked team for the first time since the 2013-14 season. The Lakers, the road team in that series, swept then-ranked No. 16 Union by final scores of 6-5 (OT) on Friday, Oct. 18 and 3-2 on Saturday, Oct. 19.
• With a .643 win percentage this season in WCHA play, the Lakers rank second among WCHA teams in the category, trailing only Minnesota State. 

Balanced Attack                                                       

• 22 Lakers have notched at least a point this season and seven have recorded at least 15 points through 28 games of the season. 17 skaters have scored a goal for the Lakers this season with nine of them scoring four or more goals. Two Lakers have 13 or more goals this season (Calder, Veillette). 
• Seven Lakers rank in the top-35 scorers in the WCHA heading into the Championship weekend (Calder, Veillette, Boudon, Riedell, Eriksson, Kaelble, Puricelli). 
• The Lakers 19 game winning goals this season have been scored by 11 different players (Bengtsson, Boudon, Calder, Eriksson, Jeffers, Mucha, Oliver, Posa, Puricelli, Riedell, Veillette). 
• 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. 

Career Years                                                                                                  

• A number of the players on Lakers roster have posted career-highs in offensive categories this season, even with the abbreviated schedule. 
• With 13 goals this season, Veillette bested his previous high of 12 goals. The junior forward scored two shorthanded goals this season, setting a new career high. Veillette has tied his previous season high in points with 26.
• Senor forward Hampus Eriksson has tied his career high in goals with six while senior defenseman Lukas Kaelble has tied his career high in goals with two. 
• In his second collegiate season, Boudon has scored a career-high eight goals, four power play goals, and two game winning goals. 
• Calder has tied his previous season high in goals (15) and set a new season-best in game winning goals with five. The junior forward has also tied his previous season high in points (28). 
• Junior defenseman Jacob Nordqvist has set a new career high in goals with three this year.
• Sophomore forward Dustin Manz tied his previous season-high in goals with two. 
• Gamelin has set a new personal best in season points with four after tying his previous bests in goals (1) and assists (3). 
• As a senior, Riedell set career highs in goals (6), poower play goals (3), and game winning goals (3). 
• Defenseman Mitchell Oliver has registered bests in goals (3), points (10) and power play goals (2). This season, Oliver scored his first career game winning goal.
• Including his first career shorthanded goal, Miura has netted a career-high four goals this season for the Lakers. 
• Sophomore transfer forward Brandon Puricelli, who played 12 games in his first collegiate season at Minnesota Duluth, has set career-highs in almost every offensive category this season. Puricelli has totaled eight goals, seven assists, 15 points, two power play goals and a game winning goal. 
• With five goals, nine assists and 11 points this season, junior forward Miroslav Mucha has set new highs in all three categories. Mucha netted his first career game winning goal earlier this season. 

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.
• Among defensemen, threeLakers rank among the top ten in point scorers among their conference peers. Will Riedell is tied for second in the category (6G, 11A) with 17 points, Lukas Kaelble is tied for third among defensemen (2G, 13A) and Jaocb Nordqvist is tied for fifth (3G, 11A). 
• Senior defenseman Lukas Kaelble, the Laker captain, has recorded 12 multi-point games in his career, including three this season. Most recently, the defenseman posted a two assist game at Northern Michigan on Jan. 8 in the Lakers 4-1 win. Kaelble's most recent point came in the Lakers 6-3 win over Northern Michigan in the WCHA Championship game as the defenseman became the 86th Laker all-time to record 50 career assists. 
• Kaelble is tied for the team-lead in assists this season with 13 and is tied for fifth on the team in points (15). The Laker captain is tied for third among all WCHA defensemen in points (13) and is tied for fourth in the WCHA in plus/minus with a +21 rating. 
• 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, and heads into the series against the Falcons with four assists in his last four games. 
• 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, who was named to the All-WCHA Second Team, 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 third and fourth multi-point games of the season career came in the Feb. 6-7 series against Northern Michigan as he posted one goal and three assists in the pair of games. Heading into the NCAA Tournament, Riedell has totaled 12 career multi-point games. 
• With 17 points (6G, 11A) this season, Riedell is tied for second among WCHA defensemen in points and ranks fourth among his teammates in points this year. The defenseman is the only defensemen in the WCHA with three power play goals this season and is tied for fourth among all WCHA skaters in game winning goals this season. 
• Since Feb. 1, Riedell is tied for second in the nation in game winning points as the defenseman has tallied six points - either goals or assists - on game winning goals. 
• The alternate captain's most recent goal came on March 13 against Alabama Huntsville in the second game of the WCHA Quarterfinals as Riedell scored the eventual game winning goal on the power play to lead the Lakers to a 4-1 victory and a sweep of the Chargers. The goal, which was Riedell's sixth of the season, set a new season high in goals for the senior. Half of Riedell's goals this season have been game winners. 
• Riedell scored a power play goal with 9.2 seconds left in regulation in a 1-1 game against UAH on Feb. 19. Riedell's fourth goal of the season would mark the first game winner for the senior defenseman. 
• On Monday, March 8, Riedell was named WCHA Defenseman of the Week for his play in LSSU's three games that week. Riedell scored the game winning goal, while on the power play, in the Lakers 2-1 win over Ferris State and was tied for first among defensemen in the conference in points with two and goals with one.
• On Monday, Feb. 8, Riedell was named WCHA Defenseman of the Week for his play in the Lakers home series against Northern Michigan on Feb. 6 and Feb. 7. Ridell led all WCHA defensemen in points (4) with a goal and three assists in the pair of games. Riedell assisted on Saturday's game tying and game winning goal and followed on Sunday with a goal scored with 1:01 left in the game to bring the Lakers within a goal of the Wildcats. The senior defenseman recorded the primary assist on the game tying goal with 12 seconds left in the game. 
• 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. 
• This season, the Swedish defenseman has 14 points (3G, 11A) in 28 games played and was named the WCHA Defenseman of the Week on Feb. 25 after posting three points (1G, 2A) in the week of play. 
• 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. The junior defender scored his first career goal, which proved to be the game winning goal, in the Lakers 4-1 win over the NMU Wildcats on Jan. 8. Oliver added an assist in the game to record his first multi-point game of the season and the second of his career. 
• Oliver scored his second career goal in the Lakers 5-4 overtime win and two of his three career goals have been scored on the power play. On March 3, Oliver added a pair of assists in the Lakers 5-2 win at No. 17 Bemidji State to record the third multi-point of his career. Through 24 games this season, Oliver has notched three goals and seven assists for 10 points, and has recorded a double digit point total for the first time in his career. 
• 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, who was named to the All-WCHA Second Team, has started 24 games this season for the Lakers, posting a 14-5-3 record with a 1.86 goals against average and a .933 save percentage. In all but four of his 24 appearances this season, Mitens has allowed two or fewer goals. 
• The WCHA Championship win marked the 14th win of the season for Mitens, setting a new season-high in wins for the senior goaltender. 
• Among WCHA goaltenders this season, Mitens ranks third among WCHA goaltenders in goals against average (1.86), fourth in minutes played (1323:29), third in saves (570), and second in save percentage (.933) this season. Mitens ranks seventh nationally in goals against average and sixth nationally in save percentage.
• The Laker goalie is one of nine finalists in the country for the Mike Richter Award, given annually to the top goaltender in Division I hockey.
• Mitens posted a season-high 36 saves in the Lakers 5-2 win against Bemidji State on March 3.  
• The senior netminder earned his 30th career win on Feb. 19 in a 2-1 win over the Alabama Huntsville Chargers which ties him for 10th all-time in program history with Gordon Defiel. Mitens' 31st career win on Feb. 26 at Ferris State gave him sole possession of the tenth spot in program history.  
• For his play in the series against the Falcons on Feb. 12-13, Mitens was named the WCHA's Goaltender of the Week. Mitens totaled 120:17 minutes in goal for the Lakers as he stopped 61 of the 64 shots he faced from Bowling Green. The 61 saves ranked second among all WCHA netminders during the week and Mitens recorded a 1.50 goals against average and a .953 save percentage in the series. 
• Freshman goaltender Ethan Langenegger has played in six games for the Lakers this season, including his first career appearance on Nov. 29 against Adrian and his first career start on Feb. 7 against Northern Michigan. 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.
• Most recently, Langenegger backstopped the Lakers in the final twenty minutes of the  team's 6-1 win over the Alabama Huntsville Chargers. The freshman goaltender entered the game after Mitens played the first two periods in goal for the Lakers. 
• 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. 
• Eisele made his first career start on Feb. 6 against Northern Michigan and stopped 29 shots he faced in the game for his second career win. 
• Most recently, Eisele posted his first career playoff win on March 13 as he stopped 16 shots against UAH to lead the Lakers to the two-game sweep over the Chargers in the Quarterfinals. 
• For his play in the Lakers series against Northern Michigan on Jan. 2 and 3,  Mitens was named the WCHA  Goaltender of the Week, his third league award of the season. The senior goalie stopped 59 of the 62 shots he faced from the NMU Wildcats to record a 1.50 goals against average and a .952 save percentage in the series. Mitens led all WCHA netminders in both goals against average and save percentage over the weekend, and was one of two goaltenders in the league this week to record two wins. 
• 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.