MENDOTA HEIGHTS, Minn. - The Lake Superior State hockey team dropped a 2-1 game to the St. Thomas Tommies on Friday, Feb. 18 at the St. Thomas Ice Arena in Mendota Heights, Minn. in the first game of a weekend Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) series. With the loss, the Lakers overall record sits at 14-16-1 and 10-13-0 in conference play.
Sophomore forward Benito Posa scored the Lakers only goal in the game while junior goaltender Seth Eisele stopped 19 shots in net.
In the closing minutes of the second period, the Tommies came close to grabbing the game's first lead when Luke Manning scored. The Lakers challenged the goal for goaltender interference on the play and after a short review, the goal was called off to keep the game tied at zero.
The two CCHA teams entered the third period in a scoreless tie but Posa would give the Lakers a 1-0 lead at 1:30 of the period with his career-best fifth goal of the season. The Lakers were in the midst of a line change and junior Dustin Manz was pressuring the St. Thomas defender along the end boards on the forecheck. Manz stole the puck behind the Tommies goal and connected a pass to Posa, who was wide open in the slot. Posa dropped to one knee as he got off a quick wrist shot that beat St. Thomas goaltender Peter Thome high on his glove side.
The Tommies tied the game at one at 9:38 of the third period when Manning scored. Joey Sofo took a slapshot on goal that was stopped by Eisele but the rebound caromed off the boards back to Sofo, who chipped the puck back to Manning. Manning was able to get a shot off quick from just outside the crease to make it a 1-1 game with just over half of the third period left to play.
Late in the third period, the Lakers were assessed a slashing penalty that gave St. Thomas a power play opportunity with 2:04 left in regulation. With 1:08 left in the game, Trevor Zins snuck a backhand shot past Eisele to give the Tommies a 2-1 lead. Zins' goal, which stood as the game winner, was assisted by Manning.
The Lakers played the final minute of the game with an extra skater on the ice as the team tried to force overtime. In the final seconds of the game, junior forward Louis Boudon came close to tying the game as he rang a shot off the post but the Lakers would fall by a final score of 2-1.
Eisele finished the night with 19 saves on the 21 shots he faced in the game while Thome stopped all but one of the Lakers 33 shots on goal in the game.
The two teams will close out the season series tomorrow night at 8:07 p.m. ET at the St. Thomas Ice Arena in Mendota Heights, Minn.
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