SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - The Lake Superior State (LSSU) hockey program is set to face the Northern Michigan (NMU) Wildcats for a two-game series in Taffy Abel Arena to wrap up the 2023-24 Cappo Cup Series. NMU currently leads the season series 2-0 with a goal differential of 10-7.

• The Lakers and Wildcats are set to resume the battle for the Cappo Cup this weekend. NMU was able to win both contests earlier this season in Marquette by a combined margin of +3, meaning that the Lakers will need to take both games in Taffy Abel Arena by a combined goal differential of +4 in order to reclaim the trophy.
• The Wildcats lead the all-time series between the Upper Peninsula rivals by a margin of 82-53-13.
• The Lakers enter the weekend coming off of a fourth place finish at the Ledyard Classic, while the Wildcats return for their first countable action in over a month. (NMU hosted Michigan Tech for an exhibition game on Jan. 6)
• In the first matchup between these two programs, three points from Jared Westcott (Imperial, Mo.), including the Laker's first two goals of the game, helped LSSU erase a three-goal deficit to take a 4-3 lead. However, it was a hat trick from Artem Shlaine that stole the show and the game as the Wildcats quickly tied up the score before going on to win 6-4.
• Westcott was able to follow up that performance with two more goals the following night, including a shot he fired in from near the blue line with less than 30 seconds to play in regulation to force overtime, but Josh Zinger was ultimately able to come away with the game-winner 1:04 into overtime.
• The previous two matchups in November mark the only two times all season in which the Lakers scored the opening goal and went on to lose the game, a rarity under Head Coach Damon Whitten that has only happened 14 times since the start of the 2018-19 season, and LSSU is a combined 56-0-4 in the remaining 60 games that they scored the opening goal in that same time frame.
• NMU is led by the nation's active career points leader in Andre Ghantous (145) who is currently leading the CCHA in assists (15). Meanwhile, they also boast the league's leader in face-off percentage with Shlaine winning just over 60% of his opportunities in the circle. 
• Westcott is currently leading the team in goal scoring with 12 and points with 24.
• Ross Roloson (Woodburn, Minn.) leads all Laker defensemen in scoring with eight points (4G, 4A).
• Six different Lakers have recorded at least ten points so far this season, led by Westcott's 24. Connor Milburn (Kamloops, B.C.) (17), Timo Bakos (Augsburg, Germany) (16), Harrison Roy (Lakeville, Mass.) (15), John Herrington (Hudson's Hope, B.C.) (13), and Dawson Tritt (Spokane, Wash.) (11) have also reached double-digit scoring. 
• Milburn is currently leading the CCHA in +/- rating (+10).
• Goaltender Ethan Langenegger's (Kamloops, B.C.) 531 saves are the top mark in the CCHA so far this season (ninth nationally).