Re: LSSU Hockey 2012-2013
Interesting early season schedule.
A tough home and home against Tech to open the books. Tech is much improved, and frankly should be even better this season with some good talent returning and better talent arriving through the pipe-line. It will be itneresting to see if the Lakers are matching Tech's progression. Too hard to tell much of anything the first week of the season, and the Lakers will surely be juggling the line combos to replace some key missing forwards. A very interesting measuring stick right out of the gate.
It gets equally interesting the next weekend with a trip to scenic Bemidji. Back to Back weekends against future Big Snow Conference rivals. Three of the games on the road. BSU is another team against which LSSU can measure itself. BSU came into LSSU last year and battled the Lakers for every inch of ice.
Then its home against Michigan State. First big league weekend. First big crowds. The Lakers will need to put the lessons of Week 1 and Week 2 into practice. MSU isn't that great, wasn't good last year, and hasn't been impressive for a few years. Last year the Lakers got a big boost beating up on MSU. And frankly, as always, I wish nothing but pain and suffering upon anything related to the Big Ten, or frankly any institution south of Pellston. Call me an old grump, but I just sort of hate most of the Lower Penninsula. Statehood for the UP can't come fast enough.
Then another Big Snow Conference future match-up, and again on the road -- to Fairbanks. And yes, another chance to measure LSSU's level against like-situated foes. I am not going to take the time to look up the records, but it seems to me that the Lakers don't suffer too horribly at UAF.
Home against Ferris. Who knows what Ferris has left in the tank, or on the bench. I have no clue. They can either be great, .500, or terrible. It never seems to matter when the Bulldogs comes to the Soo -- its always a tough weekend for the Lakers.
Home against UAH. On paper, this should be two wins. Anything less would be upsetting.
Ohio State. Big Ten Bad. Big Ten can go to deep dark fire-infested places. I am less inclined to hate OSU only because they hate U-Michigan perhaps more than I. And the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Either way, I want to sweep their Big Ten rumps out of the Soo. We'll see . . .
Back on the Road to Our Lady. Not to open a huge can of worms -- but what is happening at Notre Dame hockey? Nice arena, although nothing in the North Dakota-Denver-CC-Omaha-Duluth "amazing" catagory. Heading to Hockey East to foster closer ties with fellow Catholic power BC. Odd they don't win more. Or maybe its just my perception. As an LSSU fan, I admit I would gladly take Notre Dame's past five seasons instead of what LSSU has put up the last five seasons -- so its all perspective. But I guess there was a thought that: "Once Notre Dame puts money into hockey, its going to be a national power." And that really hasn't happened. Either way, tough road trip for the Lakers. Always is.
At Miami. Last year LSSU caught Miami in an early season struggle. No such luck this year. Back to Back TOUGH road weekends. Split the four game ND-Miami trip, and the Faithful will be pleased.
Home against NMU. Toss out the records.
And that takes us into Christmas.
