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LSSU Lakers 2014-15

Re: LSSU Lakers 2014-15

With the season almost over as we enter play-offs , I think everyone can agree that the Lakers need a lot of help from the incoming recruits.
 
Re: LSSU Lakers 2014-15

Finally made it to a game last night and I agree with you about that call. I was sitting in the corner and from what I saw it looked like a redirected puck. The ref must have been watching a different game than I was. A couple of observations from the game: 1) the 1st period was one of the best I have seen the Lakers play in some time. 2) The second and somewhat the third periods they played like they were in sand - totally different team. 3) Deifel (sp?) didn't deserve to lose the game, he did a pretty darn good job. 4) The Ferris's third goal should never have happened. There were 2 Laker defenders who could have poked the puck away before the pass and did not. 5) Goelke (sp?), I don't recall him playing that slow last year, he seemed to be playing in the sand. 6) The seniors and freshmen seemed to have the most ice time. 7) Something was different about the atmosphere which is a whole different subject for another time.

Overall it was a good time ... would have been better if the outcome was different. I am looking forward to watching more games in the coming years. I would like to think the first period is what we will see in the future of Lake hockey and it is going to be a lot of fun.
I think we'll see more overall skating speed from the forward position starting next season. It won't all happen at once (next season), but we should start seeing it then. Damon wants to play uptempo so hel'l be recruiting forwards that can play that way.
 
Re: LSSU Lakers 2014-15

With the season almost over as we enter play-offs , I think everyone can agree that the Lakers need a lot of help from the incoming recruits.

Yes, which makes it tough to be optimistic about the start of next year. Hopefully more of the non-conference games next season (outside of the Catamount Cup) will be early, so the freshman gain some experience before conference play.

I guess Tech was were the Lakers are 4-5 years ago. Damon was at Tech for most of the rebuilding process, so that is my reason for hope right now. Although it will be tough since it will be a long process.
 
Re: LSSU Lakers 2014-15

This may be the worse laker hockey team to ever play. It's to bad the back up goalie never got a chance to play. Whitten could have put him in after the empty net goal .
 
Re: LSSU Lakers 2014-15

Yikes, what an uninspired performance. I guess clinching the playoffs via the UAA loss last night did that. As of right now, it looks like we'll be making the long 11 hour trek to Mankato. I don't see us advancing to the Final Five. I could see Gordie stealing a game and forcing a game 3, but just not enough offense to win the series.
 
Re: LSSU Lakers 2014-15

Yes, which makes it tough to be optimistic about the start of next year. Hopefully more of the non-conference games next season (outside of the Catamount Cup) will be early, so the freshman gain some experience before conference play.

I remember hearing at the beginning of the season that we play Ferris State (not sure at home or at Ferris) at the very beginning of the season next year. Hopefully that got changed.
 
Re: LSSU Lakers 2014-15

I remember hearing at the beginning of the season that we play Ferris State (not sure at home or at Ferris) at the very beginning of the season next year. Hopefully that got changed.

I had heard that was being considered because of a non-conference conflict. Like you said, hopefully it was changed. Not sure if they would be home or road games.
 
Re: LSSU Lakers 2014-15

I hope that the Lakers can get some scrimmages against Canadian schools next season. It would have helped to have some this season but scheduling was screwed up from the get go.
 
Re: LSSU Lakers 2014-15

The dressing 7 defencemen worked in Marquette last Saturday because Northern had a lot of injuries and illness so their bench was short. It didn't work against ferris and the Mavericks are far superior so I hope that they bring enough forwards to Mankato.
 
Re: LSSU Lakers 2014-15

Scrimmages would not have helped the Lakers this season or next. It is a talent issue with this team and that being that there is not enough talent to win many games. Out of 36 games this season, the Lakers scored one goal or less in 21 of those 36 . If you want to go to 2 goals or less it becomes 27 games for the season and 2 goals a game is not going to win you many when you are giving up almost 4 goals a game.

Next season when Whitten brings in new recruits, that is when we begin to tell how good the team may become. As it stands now,this team needs a major overhaul in talented recruits or it will be more of the same. I also said at the beginning of this past season that you should not be shocked if Huntsville finishes in front of the Lakers and they did. Alaska Anchorage finishes behind the Lakers was a shock to me but thank god they did or the Lakers would not be playing hockey next week .
 
Re: LSSU Lakers 2014-15

This may be the worse laker hockey team to ever play. It's to bad the back up goalie never got a chance to play. Whitten could have put him in after the empty net goal .

Not the worst. At least this team made the playoffs(first time ever as a WCHA member), didn't finish dead last in the standings, and won a holiday tournament(first time in 13 years). The 2002-03 squad is probably the worst Laker team.
 
Re: LSSU Lakers 2014-15

Not the worst. At least this team made the playoffs(first time ever as a WCHA member), didn't finish dead last in the standings, and won a holiday tournament(first time in 13 years). The 2002-03 squad is probably the worst Laker team.

It took a dis-qualification of Alaska Fairbanks to get them into the play-offs . In every major stat out there from power plays to offense to defense to penalty kills,they are at the bottom or very close to being there. Twenty one games of 1 goal or zero goals. Another six games of only two goals . Holiday tournament was won by scoring one goal which is a fluke in it's own right . The final weekend of hockey at home to move up in the standings to get a closer team in MI Tech to play and Ferris who also has trouble scoring put up 7 goals to the Lakers one at home on Senior weekend. This is probably the worse team the Lakers have ever put out on the ice.
 
Re: LSSU Lakers 2014-15

Close, but I have to agree with LSSULaker889294 in that the 02-03 team was a tad worse.

I would agree that 02-03 is a good candidate for the worst Laker team. We all knew it would be a tough season and it has been. I was thinking we would hit double digit wins in the regular season but did not. Winning the holiday tourney was an unexpected highlight and there were some good weekends............one that I went to was the BG weekend. Losing 2 to Ferris was disappointing. With a BG sweep of UAH all we needed was one point to play at Tech instead of the long trip to Mankato.

Statistically, we have nowhere to go but up and I expect we will next year. We have pretty good goaltending, many young defenseman who will be a year older, and a handful of promising new recruits coming in. Players who got ice time this season may fight for it next year, but that's what occurs in improving programs. This was an adjustment year for everyone and players should return in the shape expected. Give Whitten his 3-4 years to make his mark on the program. He was part of the resurgence at MTU and I think he'll work hard to move the program forward here.
 
Re: LSSU Lakers 2014-15

I would agree that 02-03 is a good candidate for the worst Laker team. We all knew it would be a tough season and it has been. I was thinking we would hit double digit wins in the regular season but did not. Winning the holiday tourney was an unexpected highlight and there were some good weekends............one that I went to was the BG weekend. Losing 2 to Ferris was disappointing. With a BG sweep of UAH all we needed was one point to play at Tech instead of the long trip to Mankato.

Statistically, we have nowhere to go but up and I expect we will next year. We have pretty good goaltending, many young defenseman who will be a year older, and a handful of promising new recruits coming in. Players who got ice time this season may fight for it next year, but that's what occurs in improving programs. This was an adjustment year for everyone and players should return in the shape expected. Give Whitten his 3-4 years to make his mark on the program. He was part of the resurgence at MTU and I think he'll work hard to move the program forward here.

Well said.
 
Re: LSSU Lakers 2014-15

I would agree that 02-03 is a good candidate for the worst Laker team. We all knew it would be a tough season and it has been. I was thinking we would hit double digit wins in the regular season but did not. Winning the holiday tourney was an unexpected highlight and there were some good weekends............one that I went to was the BG weekend. Losing 2 to Ferris was disappointing. With a BG sweep of UAH all we needed was one point to play at Tech instead of the long trip to Mankato.

Statistically, we have nowhere to go but up and I expect we will next year. We have pretty good goaltending, many young defenseman who will be a year older, and a handful of promising new recruits coming in. Players who got ice time this season may fight for it next year, but that's what occurs in improving programs. This was an adjustment year for everyone and players should return in the shape expected. Give Whitten his 3-4 years to make his mark on the program. He was part of the resurgence at MTU and I think he'll work hard to move the program forward here.



Definitely the logical way of looking at the program. I also agree well said.

With the incoming forwards and the way Gus Correale raised his level of play the offense should be better.
 
Re: LSSU Lakers 2014-15

Our geographic recruiting landscape is certainly changing. It looks like next season will be the first one since 1982-83 that we didn't have an SJHL player on the roster. The Lakers got a lot of good players out of the SJHL in the 80s and early 90s, but most of the better Junior A guys playing in Western Canada are now playing in the BCHL.
 
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Re: LSSU Lakers 2014-15

Our geographic recruiting landscape is certainly changing. It looks like next season will be the first one since 1982-83 that we didn't have an SJHL player on the roster.


This certainly has been a dismal season so far...who knows, perhaps the team can make some noise in the playoffs but I'm not holding my breath against one of the top ranked teams in the nation. What has made this year some what bearable has been the quality of the recruits who have either made a verbal commitment or signed a LOI...you have to go all the way back to Jackson's tenure to find recruiting classes that rival what Whitten and co. have put together so far. If they can get these kids on campus, develop them properly and have them play within their system then there is little doubt that this program will be at or near the top of the WCHA within the next five years.
Of course much can happen, some recruits may renege, others perhaps will not be as advertized but all in all, these are some very very impressive prospects coming in, the likes that we have not seen here in quite some time!
 
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