SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - The Lake Superior State hockey team clinched home ice in the Mason Cup Quarterfinals after a 3-1 win over the Bowling Green Falcons to earn a Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) sweep in the final weekend of the regular season. With the win at the Taffy Abel Arena, the Lakers end the regular season with a 17-16-1 overall record and a 13-13-0 mark in conference play. 

The three Laker goals were scored by junior forward Logan Jenuwine, junior forward Brandon Puricelli, and freshman forward Josh Nixon. Sophomore goaltender Ethan Langengger stopped 22 of the 23 shots he faced in the game to earn his ninth win of the season. 

Jenuwine's weekend scoring streak continued as he opened the game's scoring at 10:01 of the first period to give the Lakers a 1-0 lead over the Falcons. After an extended shift in the Bowling Green zone, the Falcons gained possession of the puck and began to break out of their own end. However, Jenuwine intercepted a Falcons pass in the neutral zone and carried the puck back into the offensive end. The junior forward drove towards the goal, cutting in towards the Falcons goaltender, Christian Stoever. Jenuwine outwaited Stoever and sent the puck into the open net for his eighth tally of the year. 

The Falcons tied the game at one at 14:04 of the second period when Nathan Burke scored a power play goal. Eric Parker and Alex Barber recorded the assists on the goal.

At 2:47 of the third period, Puricelli netted a power play goal to give the Lakers a 2-1 lead. Puricelli's go-ahead goal, proved to be the game winner. With the team on the man-advantage, junior forward Louis Boudon chipped the puck off the boards into the offensive zone and carried the puck down past the goal line. Boudon then dropped a pass to Miroslav Mucha, who then slid a cross ice pass that made its way to Puricelli, who was alone at the faceoff dot. Puricelli fired the puck into the open net as Stoever made a diving play trying to get back on the play. 

The scoring was capped off at 13:06 of the third period when Nixon scored to put the Lakers ahead by a pair of goals. Puricelli skated up the ice with the puck and dished a pass to defenseman Jake WIllets who was driving towards the net on the play. From just outside the crease, Willets sent a pass across the ice to a wide-open Nixon, who sent the puck into the back of the net for a 3-1 Laker lead.

The Lakers will host the No. 5 seeded Northern Michigan Wildcats next weekend at the Taffy Abel Arena in the opening round of the 2022 Mason Cup Playoffs. The best-of-three series is set to start on Friday, March 4 at 6:07 p.m. Game two is scheduled for a 6:07 p.m. start on Saturday, March 5 and if necessary, game three will also have a 6:07 p.m. puck drop. 

For more information, visit lssulakers.com.

Follow Laker Hockey on Twitter,  Facebook, and Instagram for the latest news!