Game Notes

For Starters                                                                                                                                                                           

• Lake Superior State returns to the ice for the program's 56th season of competition with a non-conference series against the Nebraska Omaha Mavericks. The road series is slated for an 8:07 p.m. EST puck drop on Saturday, Oct. 2 and a 7:07 p.m. EST start on Sunday, Oct.3. Both games will take place at Baxter Arena in Omaha, Neb. 
• The Lakers return to the ice following 19-7-3 overall record during the 2020-21 season and a 9-5-0 WCHA record as the team finished the regular season second in the WCHA standings and earned the Jeff Sauer Trophy as the Lakers won a conference championship for the first time since the 1994-95 season. With the conference championship title, the Lakers received an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament and fell to eventual national champion, UMass, in the opening round of the tournament. 
• In both the USCHO and USA Today/USA Hockey preseason polls, the Lakers received votes. Lake Superior State earned 40 votes in the USCHO poll and six votes in the USA Today/USA Hockey poll. The 2021-22 preseason poll marks the 18th straight poll, dating back to Nov. 23, 2020, that the Lakers have received votes in at least one of the two national polls (USCHO and USA Today/USA Hockey). 
• Lakers Head Coach Damon Whitten enters his eighth season behind the bench in Sault Ste. Marie in 2021-22. In May 2021, Whitten agreed to terms on a six-year contract, solidifying the program through the 2027-28 season. The Laker head coach has led the team to a 99-132-27 record, with playoff appearances in all but one season. 

Return to the CCHA                                                                                                                                                                           

• Lake Superior State makes a long-anticipated return to the Central Collegiate Hockey Association in the 2021-22 season, joining six other WCHA teams (Bemidji State, Bowling Green, Ferris State, Michigan Tech, Minnesota State, Northern Michigan) and St. Thomas, who recently transitioned from Division III to Division I in hockey. 
• The CCHA schedule includes 26 regular season games for the Lakers followed by the conference postseason. The postseason will include a three-game quarterfinal round during the first weekend in March, followed by single game semifinal round and championship game during the second weekend of March. The regular season CCHA champion will be awarded the historic MacNaughton Cup while the conference postseason champion will earn the Mason Cup. 
• The Lakers were one of the founding members of the CCHA in 1971 and played in the highly-regarded conference until the league was disbanded in 2013.
• During the Lakers tenure in the CCHA, the program combined for its most successful years which included three Regular Season CCHA Championships, four CCHA Postseason Championships, and three National Championships.

Non-Conference October                                                                                                                                     

• The Lakers will play eight non-conference games during the 2021-22 season, with all eight contests scheduled for the month of October. Following the opening weekend against the National Collegiate Hockey Conference's (NCHC) Omaha Mavericks, the Lakers will travel to Ann Arbor, Mich. to take on Big Ten opponent Michigan during the weekend of Oct. 8-9. 
• The final two non-conference series for the Lakers will come on home ice during the final two weekends of the month as LSSU hosts a pair of ECAC teams from upstate New York. The Union Dutchmen will take on the Lakers in Sault Ste. Marie on Friday, Oct. 22 and Sat, Oct. 23. The following weekend (Oct. 29-30), Lake Superior will play its final non-conference series of the season as the St. Lawrence Saints visit the Taffy Abel Arena for the weekend series. 

Welcome Back                                                                                                                                            

• The Lakers return nine forwards (Louis Boudon, Spencer DenBeste, Jack Jeffers, Dustin Manz, Miroslav Mucha, Benito Posa, Brandon Puricelli, Joshua Wildauer, Tyler Williams), six defensemen (Jacob Bengtsson, Artyom Borshyov, Jeremy Gervais, Arvid Henrikson, Jacob Nordqvist, Mitchell Oliver, ), and two goaltenders (Seth Eisele, Ethan Langenegger) from last season's roster. 
• Lake Superior's skaters will return 43.0% of last season's goal scoring (31 of 86 total goals), and 46.2% of the total points recorded (110 of 238 total points). 
• Four of the Lakers top 10 point scorers from last season are back this season (Boudon, Nordqvist, Puricelli, Mucha) and two of the team's top five goal scorers (Puricelli, Boudon). 
• Last season the Lakers had 11 players record 10 or more points with five of those skaters returning this season (Boudon, Nordqvist, Puricelli, Mucha, Jeffers).
• Seven returners for the Lakers scored at least one game winning goal last season (Bengtsson, Boudon, Jeffers, Mucha, Oliver, Posa, Puricelli).
• The goaltending duo of Eisele and Langenegger combined for a 5-1-0 record last season as Langenegger played in six games for the Lakers while Eisele appeared in four contests. Langenegger posted a .906 save percentage and a 2.27 goals against average during his freshman season while Eisele recorded a .912 save percentage and a 2.18 goals against average for the Lakers. 

"Fresh" Faces                                                                                                                                                                            

• The Lakers welcome an freshman class of composed of nine student-athletes, including six forwards (Timo Bakos, Cole Craft, Josh Nixon, Brett Roloson, Dawson Tritt, Jordan Venegoni), two defensemen (Grant Hindman, Sebastian Miedema), and one goaltender (Easton Hesse). 
• Bakos played for Starbulls Rosenheim in the German Oberliga league during the 2020-21 season, posting four assists in 27 games. The German born forward spend the 2019-20 season playing for Sioux Falls in the USHL and totaled 15 points (7G, 8A) in 41 games. 
• Craft spent the 2020-21 season playing for the Lincoln Stars in the USHL, and posted 14 points (9G, 5A) in 47 games. Prior to the USHL, played two seasons in the CCHL and totaled 111 points (42G, 69A) in 115 games played. 
• Nixon totaled 23 points (9G, 14A) during the 2020-21 season, playing with the Maryland Black Bears of the NAHL.
• Roloson played for the Minot Minotauros of the NAHL during the 2020-21 seaason and posted 22 points (7G, 15A) in 36 games. 
• Tritt spent the 2020-21 season with the Lone Star Brahams of the NAHL, and posted 14 points (8G, 6A) in 32 games played. 
• Venegoni played for the Amarillo Bulls of the NAHL last season, and posted 26 points (8G, 18A) in 44 games for the Bulls. In 2019-20, Venegoni led the Bulls in goals with 27 and was named  Offensive Forward of the Year for Amarillo.
• Hindman recorded 10 points (5G, 5A) during the 2020-21 season with the USHL's Youngstown Phantoms. The Michigan-born defenseman participated in USA Hockey's U16 and U17 Select Camps. 
• Miedema played four seasons of junior hockey (2016-20) split between Swedish junior leagues (J18 Elite, J18 Allsvenskan, J20 SuperElite) and the USHL. Miedema last competed during the 2019-20 season with Sioux Falls where he recorded three points (1G, 2A) in 18 games. 
• Hesse played three seasons of junior hockey for the Bonnyville Pontiacs of the AJHL. During the 2020-21 season, Hesse was named the team's MVP as he posted a 6-3-1 record with a 2.11 goals against average and a .931 save percentage. Hesse's save percentage was the best among all AJHL goaltenders in 2020-21.

Portal Pickups                                                                                      

• Jake Willets (Ferris State), Harrison Roy (Boston College), and Logan Jenuwine (Arizona State) will each put on the Laker jersey for the first time this season.
• Willets, a junior defenseman, has posted 28 points (5G, 23A) in 52 career games while at Ferris State. As a freshman, Willets led the Bulldogs in poinnts (22) and assists (19), and was named to the WCHA All-Rookie Team.
• Roy, a sophomore forward, played in 23 games for the BC Eagles as a freshman during the 2020-21 season. Roy finished his first collegiate seaason with three points (2G, 1A).
• Jenuwine, a junior forward, will make his Laker debut this season. During the 2019-20 season, Jenuwine played in 10 games for Arizona State and recorded four points (3G, 1A). 

Lakers vs. Omaha                  

• The Lakers and Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks will both open the 2021-22 season this weekend with the nonconference series in Omaha.
• In the all-time series between the two teams, the Mavericks hold the advantage over the Lakers with a 16-9-5 record. The first meeting between the two programs came on Jan. 21, 2000 and the Lakers recorded a 2-1 victory over Omaha.
• The teams last met in a non-conference series in Omaha on Dec. 30 and 31, 2016, and the then ranked No. 20 Mavericks won both games by scores of 4-1 and 5-3. 

Scouting the Mavericks                                                                              

• No. 17 Nebraska-Omaha is  led by Mike Gabinet, who enters his fifth season as the head coach of the Mavericks in 2021-22.  
• Paul Jerrard, one of the team's assistant coaches, was a member of the Laker hockey team from 1983-87. The defenseman recorded 113 points (40G, 73A) in 156 games for the Lakers in his collegiate career. Following a 10-year professional hockey career, Jerrard spent four seasons as an assistant coach at LSSU (1997-98; 1999-2002). 
• The Mavericks return to the ice following an overall record of 14-11-1 during the 2020-21 season. Omaha's season came to a close in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament as the Mavericks fell to Minnesota.
• Kevin Conley, a fifth-year forward, will serve as the Mavericks captain for the second straight season. Conley registered 19 points (9G, 10A) in 25 games during the 2020-21 season to finish third on the team in points. 
• Offensively, the Mavericks are led by senior forward Taylor Ward, who has been the team's top goal-scorer in each of the past two season. Ward posted a career-best 16 goal season as a sophomore in 2019-20, and totaled 13 goals to pace Omaha last year. 
• Chayse Primeau, a senior forward, and Tyler Weiss, a senior forward, tied for the team lead in points (23) during the 2020-21 season. Primeau tallied nine goals and 14 assists while Weiss registered seven goals and 16 assists. 
• In goal, Omaha is led by junior Isaiah Saville, who started 23 of the Mavericks 26 games during the 2020-21 season. With a 12-11-1 overall record, Saville posted a 3.03 goals against average and a .907 save percentage. 

In the Polls                                                                        

• In both the USCHO and USA Today/USA Hockey preseason polls, the Lakers received votes. Lake Superior State earned 40 votes in the USCHO poll and six votes in the USA Today/USA Hockey poll. 
• The 2021-22 preseason poll marks the 18th straight poll, dating back to Nov. 23, 2020, that the Lakers have received votes in at least one of the two national polls (USCHO and USA Today/USA Hockey). 
• Last season, the Lakers were nationally ranked on nine occasions and peaked at the No. 13 spot in both polls on March 22. 
• In the CCHA Preseason Coaches Poll,  Lake Superior State was picked to finish in the sixth spot, receiving 45 total points. 

Strong Starts                                                              

• In his tenure at LSSU, Whitten has led the Lakers to a 4-2-1 record in season openers and a 5-1-1 record in home openers at the Taffy Abel Arena. Following last season's 0-0 tie against the Michigan Tech Huskies, the Lakers have gone five straight seasons without a loss in their first game of the season. 

Keys to Success                                                                 

• The Laker hockey team has had two of the program's best seasons in the last 25 years in the span of the last three seasons, and have the records to prove it. 
• LSSU has posted a 56-43-9 overall record since the start of the 2018-19 season, which is the 11th most in all of Division I hockey in that span. 
• The Lakers have been a solid road team in the last three years, posting a 12-6-0 record in 2018-19 and an 8-2-0 record last year. During the 2020-21 season, the Lakers were the last Division I program with an undefeated road record. 
• Five of the team's last six wins over ranked opponents have come on the road (No. 12 Bowling Green, Feb. 12-13, 2021; No. 18 Michigan Tech, Feb. 16, 2021; No. 17 Bemidji State, March 3, 2021; No. 13/12 Bemidji State, March 19, 2021). 
• Another key to the Lakers success in recent years (2018-21) has been the team's ability to preserve a lead as Lake Superior State has posted a 25-1-2 record when leading after the first period and a 38-1-0 when heading into the third period with the score advantage. 
• Since the start of the 2018-19 season, the Lakers have combined for a 34-6-2 record when scoring the game's first goal. Last year, the Lakers recorded a 13-0-1 record when notching the game's opening goal, a 10-0-1 record when leading after one period, and a 12-0-0 record when leading after two periods of play. 

Around the World                                                                      

• The Lakers roster consists of players from seven different home countries, including Belarus, Canada, France, Germany, Sweden, Slovakia, and the United States. 13 players hail from the U.S., eight from Canada, four from Sweden, and one from Belarus, France, Germany, and Slovakia. 

Michigan Born & Bred                                                                            

• LSSU has a strong Michigan presence, with eight skaters hailing from the state (Spencer DenBeste, Grant Hindman, Logan Jenuwine, Dustin Manz, Benito Posa, Jordan Venegoni, Joshua Wildauer & Tyler Williams).
• It marks the most Michiganders on the roster since the 2007-08 season (which had 10). 
• In addition, three of the Laker coaches (Damon Whitten, Mike York and Zack Cisek) are from the state of Michigan.

Leading the Lakers                                                                                                                               

• Junior forward Louis Boudon will serve as the Lakers captain for the 2021-22 season. Senior forward Miroslav Mucha, senior defenseman Jacob Nordqvist, and junior forward Dustin Manz were named assistant captains. 
• Highlighting the team's international roster, all four team captains come from different home countries (France, Slovakia, Sweden, U.S.). 

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 CCHA games during the 2021-22 season will be available to watch live on FloHockey, the CCHA'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
• Laker tickets are available to purchase at lssulakers.com. Season ticket packages, a 10-game Laker Gold flex plan, and single game tickets are on sale now!