SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - The Lake Superior State hockey team opened the 2021-22 season with a thrilling come-from-behind 4-3 overtime win against the No. 17 Nebraska Omaha Mavericks in a non-conference game in the Baxter Arena in Omaha, Neb. on Saturday, Oct. 2. With the victory, head coach Damon Whitten recorded his 100th career win behind the Laker bench. 

Less than four minutes into the game, the Mavericks grabbed the game's first lead when Matt Miller beat Laker goaltender Seth Eisele to lead 1-0. 

Omaha extended the lead to 2-0 at 6:33 of the first period when Brannon McManus capitalized on a penalty shot opportunity. Eisele made the initial save on the preceding play and during a big scrum in front of the Laker net, an LSSU skater covered the puck with their glove, which resulted in a penalty shot call. McManus fired a wrist shot over the shoulder of Eisele for his first goal of the season. 

Junior forward Brandon Puricelli scored the first goal of the season for the Lakers at 7:34 of the first period as he sent a wrist shot past Maverick goaltender Isaiah Saville. Puricelli collected a pass from his centerman, Louis Boudon,

At 17:49 of the first period, freshman Dawson Tritt scored his first collegiate goal to tie the game at two. The scoring play was a result of the forward line of Tritt, Harrison Roy, and Joshua Wildauer putting pressure on the Maverick defense and driving to the net. Tritt followed up on the play and grabbed the loose puck just outside Saville's crease. Tritt dragged the puck towards the goal line, waiting for the Omaha goalie to make the first move on the play, and sent the puck high into the Omaha net. 

In the closing minutes of the second period, the Mavericks broke the tie as Chayse Primeau netted an even strength goal to take a 3-2 lead. The goal was reviewed but was deemed a good goal by the officials, and the home team took a one goal lead into the final period of play. 

With 1:04 remaining in regulation, the Lakers tied the game at three when sophomore forward Harrison Roy, skating in his first game as a Laker, scored with the Laker net empty and six skaters on the ice. Roy's game-tying goal was assisted by junior transfer Jake Willets, also playing in his first game as a Laker, and Miroslav Mucha. 

In the last second of regulation, there was a review for a potential game winning goal by the Lakers but the puck entered the net after the whistle was blown following the net coming off its moorings. 

With the game tied at three, the two teams needed the five-minute three-on-three overtime session to decide the game. At 3:08 of overtime, Puricelli scored his second goal of the game, and his first career overtime goal, to seal the Laker victory in Omaha. Puricelli, who used the open ice to his advantage, gathered the puck in the offensive zone and spun away from the Maverick defender before firing off a backhander that beat Saville to clinch the Lakers first win of the 2021-22 season. 

Under Whitten, the Lakers have combined for a 5-2-1 record in season opening games and have gone six straight seasons without a loss in their first game of the season (5-0-1).

The Lakers and Mavericks will wrap up the weekend series tomorrow evening with a 5:07 p.m. EST puck drop at the Baxter Arena in Omaha, Neb. The game will be available to stream on NCHC.tv. Fans can tune in to listen to Matt Pocket on the radio call on 99.5 YES FM.

For more information, visit lssulakers.com.

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