Jan 19, 2023
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - The Lake Superior State University hockey program (4-18-2) is set for a CCHA road series against the No. 17 Minnesota State Mavericks in Mankato, Minn. with puck drop for game one scheduled for 7:07 p.m. Central Standard Time on Friday, Jan. 20.
Stories to watch:
- The Lakers are coming off of a series split against the Ferris State Bulldogs at home with Ferris State claiming the first game by a score of 4-0 before the Lakers bounced back with a dominant 4-1 victory on the following day.
- The Mavericks are currently riding a four-game winning streak with a pair of sweeps on the road at Northern Michigan and Arizona State.
- The Lakers and Mavericks split the two-game season series last season in the Soo with the Lakers taking the first game 1-0 before Minnesota State won the second game 3-0.
- The Mavericks lead the all-time series between the two programs 26-4-1.
- Louis Boudon (Grenoble, France) scored the only goal of the 1-0 shutout victory over the No. 1 ranked Mavericks a year ago with a shorthanded strike at the 9:20 mark of the opening period.
- Last season's 1-0 victory over then No. 1 Minnesota State marked the first shutout of goaltender Ethan Langenegger's (Kamloops, B.C.) career.
- The Mavericks are led offensively by David Silye and defenseman Jake Livingstone, but they boast strong depth on their roster with eight different skaters having recorded at least ten points on the season.
- Minnesota State and Lake Superior State have combined for three out of the four reigning CCHA players of the week with Jared Kucharek (Royal Oak, Mich.) being named CCHA Defenseman of the Week while Brendan Furry and Keenan Rancier came away with the league's weekly honors for forwards and goaltenders, respectively.
- Minnesota State's Silye enters the series against the Lakers tied with Bowling Green's Austen Swankler for the league lead in goals scored (15)
- Boudon enters the series leading the CCHA in total face-offs with 626, winning 50% of them.
- Silye is the only CCHA skater to have recorded a hat trick this season.
- Both teams boast a strong family connection as brothers Seth Eisele (Lake Elmo, Minn.) and Adam Eisele will face off against each other.
-
Eleven different Lakers have recorded at least five points entering the series against Minnesota with Boudon, Jacob Bengtsson (Stockholm, Sweden), Dawson Tritt (Spokane, Wash.), and Brandon Puricelli (Ellisville, Mo.) each having at least ten.
-
The Lakers' captain Boudon and alternate captain Bengtsson are tied for the team lead in scoring with 16 points each (7G, 9A and 1G, 15A respectively) after 24 games.
-
Bengtsson is currently leading LSSU in assists this season with 15.