LSSU Lakers 2015-16: The 50th season

[Bill]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2015-16: The 50th season

Should be a great series. Bemidji State has a great record so far after New Year's, but almost all of their wins have come against pretty weak teams.

I wonder if Patterson finally plays this weekend?

We need to get at least a couple of points this weekend. It will hurt having Henke and Globke out of the lineup on Friday, but Hayes and Hand should be available to play. Between Patterson, Vernace and Angus, one or more of them might see some action also; probably depends on practices this week.

 

[sm2pk]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2015-16: The 50th season

How does it hurt having people out of the line up who can't score anyway . This team has bigger issues than a couple guys who can't hit the net sitting out the weekend.

 

[CKrouth]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2015-16: The 50th season

No way. This was a clear 5 minute major and misconduct. Hults took three steps and delivered a shoulder to the jaw of Dane Birks just as the clock hits 8:00 in the first period. Clearly intentional, clearly contact to the head. The only reason it took so long to call was that it was a linesman who actually saw it happen, not one of the two referees. I saw it live in the arena and knew there was a lot of contact, but after watching the archived broadcast on WCHA.tv it's crystal clear. It's listed in the box score as a check from behind but that was not the case, and I don't believe it was a DQ.

I'm not sure how you saw all that from the WCHAtv archive since the play happens at the very bottom of the screen and you can barely see Mitch Hults skate one length before the hit (not 3). Birks had the puck right before he got hit. I don't have a problem with the call since it appears he hit him in the head, but to say it was clearly intentional based on that video is just absurd.

 

[LakerBaker]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2015-16: The 50th season

The good ship Laker deserved a better fate last weekend. They had horrible referees again, especially on Saturday night, and are snake bit right now and can't buy a goal. Head coach Damon Whitten has them on the right track and they will rebound this weekend at home. Randy Russon of www.hockeynewsnorth.com and www.saultthisweek.com has another excellent write up of the LSSU Lakers in his latest article. http://www.hockeynewsnorth.com/ncaa/lakers-need-a-winning-weekend-2/

Ringy Dingy!

They have lost five straight games and are in desperate need of victories as the Western Collegiate Hockey Association heads into the final four weekends of regular-season play.

Struggling to score goals, the seventh-place Lake Superior State Lakers will play host to the sixth-seeded Bemidji State Beavers this Friday (7:37 p.m.) and Saturday (7:07 p.m.) at Taffy Abel Arena in the Michigan Soo. Both games will be broadcast on Sault Ste. Marie radio station 99.5 Yes-FM.

The Lakers have a record of 6-10-4 in the WCHA and are 9-17-4 overall.

Just two points stand between Lake State and 7-9-4 Bemidji State in the WCHA standings. Both teams have eight games to play in the WCHA regular season. Eight of the 10 teams in the WCHA make the playoffs.

The fact that the Lakers are the youngest team in the WCHA doesn’t sugar coat the fact that lack of goal scoring is a major issue.

The Lakers have the worst offense in the WCHA with just 31 goals scored in 20 games. Overall, the Lakers have managed just 52 goals in 30 games thus far this season.

A further example of the Lakers goal-scoring futility is that they have been shut out six times in 30 games and in 10 others, have scored just once.

The last four games in particular have showed the Lakers inexperience in playing first-place Minnesota State and third-place Michigan Tech. In losing all four of those matches, the Lakers were out-scored by a resounding 19-2 margin.

Still, the Lakers control their own destiny as far as making the playoffs.

And in taking on Bemidji State this weekend, the Lakers play a team that they had success against on the road earlier this season in picking up three of a possible four points with a 3-2 win and 1-1 tie against the Beavers.

“We need wins,” Lake State head coach Damon Whitten told Lakers play-by-play announcer Bill Crawford. “We need to create more grade A scoring chances.”

Taking a look at the Lakers top six scorers, four are freshmen, one is a sophomore and the other is a junior.

Sophomore forward JT Henke leads the Lakers in scoring with 6 goals, 8 assists, 14 points followed by freshman forward Mitch Hults at 6-16-12, freshman forward Gage Torrel at 5-7-12, junior forward Gus Correale at 5-6-11, freshman forward Anthony Nellis at 3-8-11 and freshman defenseman Owen Headrick at 4-5-9.

Headrick, who is from Garden River First Nation, is the youngest player in the entire WCHA. He starred for the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League in two prior seasons to this one.

Between the pipes, the Lakers have rotated goalies Gordon Defiel and Nick Kossoff of late and that could continue this weekend.

Defiel is a sophomore and Kossoff is a freshman.

Of note, only two Lakers have played in all 30 games thus far this season. They are the aforementioned Nellis and sophomore defenseman Aidan Wright.

 

[John J. MacInnes]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2015-16: The 50th season

I'm not sure how you saw all that from the WCHAtv archive since the play happens at the very bottom of the screen and you can barely see Mitch Hults skate one length before the hit (not 3). Birks had the puck right before he got hit. I don't have a problem with the call since it appears he hit him in the head, but to say it was clearly intentional based on that video is just absurd.

Because I was also in the building, if you'd bother to read the whole post. Combining what I saw with the replay made it easy to see that head contact was avoidable, but he chose to go high. That's intent.

 

[LakerBaker]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2015-16: The 50th season

Lake Superior State hosts Bemidji State this weekend for a Western Collegiate Hockey Association series after spending two of the last three weeks on the road against two of the league's top teams.

This weekend the Lakers (9-17-4, 6-10-4 WCHA) seek to right the ship with a two-game home stand against the Beavers (11-11-5, 7-9-4 WCHA). LSSU is 3-7-0 in their last 10 games, including losing their last five contests while scoring just three goals and allowing 22 goals against during that stretch.

The series opens with a 7:37 p.m. meeting with the Beavers on Friday with the series finale coming at 7:07 p.m. on Sunday. Both games will be broadcast live on 99.5 YES FM with legendary Voice of the Lakers, Bill Crawford handling the play by play.

The Lakers ask that fans wear white to Friday's game for a special whiteout in honor of the White Ribbon Campaign's initiative to end domestic violence. Saturday is Sponsor Appreciation Night, as well as, Faculty Appreciation Night and LSSU Softball hosts their annual Sweetheart Spaghetti Dinner from 5-7 p.m. in the Bud Cooper Gymnasium prior to the game.

The first matchup between the two programs dates back to the 1966-67 season, which ended with a series split in Sault Ste. Marie. The following season the Lakers joined the Beavers in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) as members of the International Collegiate Hockey Association and played met in the first NAIA Championship game, which the Beavers won 5-4. From 1967-68 through 1973-74 the Lakers and Beavers met four times in the NAIA Championship with the Beavers winning three of the head-to-head championship meetings.

Since the Lakers joined the Beavers in the WCHA in 2013-14, the Lakers have posted a 4-3-1 record over the Beavers, including a four-game unbeaten (3-0-1) streak. Last season, in the only series between the teams, the Lakers earned their only sweep of the season with a pair of wins over BSU at home.

The last time the Lakers and Beavers met was a Nov. 20-21 series in Bemidji. The Lakers captured three points on the weekend with a 3-2 victory in the series opener and battled to a 1-1 draw in the Saturday finale.

All-time, the Lakers lead the rivalry 27-21-3 overall and 13-10-1 in games played in Sault Ste. Marie.

With eight games left on the schedule and two points behind the Beavers, the Lakers are in a tie with Alaska Anchorage for 7th and final two spots in the WCHA playoffs. The Lakers could position themselves ahead of the Beavers with a sweep and could add distance between themselves and the idle Alaska schools with a win or tie in either game.

Against No. 15 Michigan Tech last weekend the Lakers fell victim to their second-consecutive sweep on the road against a ranked opponent. In fact, the Lakers have played the top three teams MTU, Minnesota State and Bowling Green during three of their last four series and have gone 1-5-0 in those meetings.

Leading the Lakers in scoring this season has been sophomore newcomer J.T. Henke with six goals and eight assists for 14 points in 27 games played. Behind Henke, Mitch Hults (6-6--12) and Gage Torrel (5-7--12) are tied for 2nd on the team in scoring and lead the LSSU freshman class in scoring. Hults ranks tied for 2nd in points among WCHA freshmen and Torrel is tied for third in goals by a freshman.

Another impressive rookie in the Lakers lineup, Anthony Nellis (3-8--11) leads the WCHA in power-play points among freshmen with a goal and seven assists on the extra-man advantage.

Between the pipes the Lakers have received consistent play from sophomore goaltender Gordon Defiel and freshman Nick Kossoff. Defiel sports a 2.78 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage, while Kossoff has a .923 save percentage and a 2.25 goals-against average.

BSU opens the week on the road against Minnesota Duluth on Tuesday. Entering the week, the Beavers have gone 6-2-2 in their last 10 games, including a victory over Big 10 member Minnesota at the North Star College Cup.

Gerry Fitzgerald leads the way for the Beavers with 12 goals and nine assists for 21 points in 23 games played this season. When the Lakers and Beavers last met, Fitzgerald scored a power-play goal during the Lakers' 3-2 victory in the series opener.

Following Fitzgerald in points for the Beavers are Markus Gerbrandt (5-14--19) and Brendan Harms (4-15--19) each with 19 points in 27 games. Gerbrandt registered an assist in the first game of the November series and scored the game-tying goal on Nov. 21.

Michael Bitzer has improved his numbers since the Lakers earned the 3-2 decision over him in the teams' first meeting. Since losing to the Lakers on Nov. 20, Bitzer has gone 6-5-2, produced a 1.74 goals-against average and .931 save percentage, and has three shutouts.

LSSU travels to Alaska to take on the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves next weekend before hosting Northern Michigan on Feb. 26-27 for their final home series of the regular season.

 

[LSSULaker889294]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2015-16: The 50th season

Because I was also in the building, if you'd bother to read the whole post. Combining what I saw with the replay made it easy to see that head contact was avoidable, but he chose to go high. That's intent.

Hults hasn't had a history of being a dirty player so I think it was accidental.

 

[Laker Dude]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2015-16: The 50th season

Hults hasn't had a history of being a dirty player so I think it was accidental.

I was at the game and Tech fans around us did not react negatively about the hit when there was initially no call. I don't know if that is just the nature of the crowd there, but in most buildings if there is an intentional hit to the head, the refs would hear it from the fans as well.

I am sure the league has more than just the one view to look at, to determine if a suspension is necessary.

 

[Laker Dude]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2015-16: The 50th season

I wonder if Patterson finally plays this weekend?

Does anyone know why Patterson has not had much playing time this year? I know he was sick after the exhibition weekend to open the year, and missed a few games because of that. Not sure why he has not received much of a chance since.

 

[Bill]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2015-16: The 50th season

Does anyone know why Patterson has not had much playing time this year? I know he was sick after the exhibition weekend to open the year, and missed a few games because of that. Not sure why he has not received much of a chance since.

He was suspended for violation of team rules for quite a while. I don't know the specifics. He has been reinstated and has been practicing with the team.

 

[Laker Dude]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2015-16: The 50th season

He was suspended for violation of team rules for quite a while. I don't know the specifics. He has been reinstated and has been practicing with the team.

Thanks, hopefully he can contribute if he gets back in there.

 

[PerkyforPrez]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2015-16: The 50th season

Thanks, hopefully he can contribute if he gets back in there.

Patterson looked like he had some promise as a freshman early on. I hope he gets a fair shot.

 

[John J. MacInnes]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2015-16: The 50th season

Hults hasn't had a history of being a dirty player so I think it was accidental.

I hate that excuse. "He's not that kind of player" is a cop-out.

That said, I've seen him play 6 times now this season. i like his game and think he has a lot of upside. Don't do stupid stuff like that to take the chance of being labeled and pigeonholed.

 

[Bill]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2015-16: The 50th season

I see that Bemidji beat UMD 2-1 in Duluth last night. It's going to be a tough series this weekend. The Beavers are playing very good hockey the second half. Also of note from last night's game is that Ruslan Pedan (Bemidji) picked up a 5 minute major penalty for CFB and a misconduct, but no DQ.

 

[LSSULaker889294]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2015-16: The 50th season

I listened to the Laker Hockey Show podcast and interesting to hear Bill Crawford say he lost respect for Mel Pearson and said he was unprofessional. I'm sure Bill will get over it and forgive Mel.

 

[Suze]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2015-16: The 50th season

I listened to the Laker Hockey Show podcast and interesting to hear Bill Crawford say he lost respect for Mel Pearson and said he was unprofessional. I'm sure Bill will get over it and forgive Mel.

HA! That's really ironic.

 

[LakerBaker]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2015-16: The 50th season

I listened to the Laker Hockey Show podcast and interesting to hear Bill Crawford say he lost respect for Mel Pearson and said he was unprofessional. I'm sure Bill will get over it and forgive Mel.

Methinks Mel could use a lesson in class and professionalism from Damon Whitten, who is a class act all the way.

Bill was right on, as he usually is!

 

[LakerBaker]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2015-16: The 50th season

Another tough luck loss for the good ship Laker. They out worked, out hustled, out chanced their opponent, but they couldn't buy a goal, and the Beavers goaltender, stood on his head. It didn't help that once again the LSSU Lakers didn't get any calls go their way, and actually had a goal taken away because of the referee.

I expect Damon Whitten to fire them up and have a big bounce back game tonite. Let's pack the Taffy! Ringy Dingy!!!

For the sixth consecutive game Lake Superior State dropped a Western Collegiate Hockey Association contest Bemidji State, 2-1 inside Taffy Abel Arena on Friday night. In each of the six games the Lakers (9-18-4, 6-11-4 WCHA) have scored just one goal, four times, and were shutout in the other two losses.

Michael Bitzer, the reigning WCHA Rookie of the Year made the start in net for the Beavers (13-11-5, 8-9-4 WCHA) and turned aside 25-of-26 shots en route to his ninth win of the season. The lone blemish on Bitzer's record came on a first period goal by LSSU freshman forward Jake Hand.

Hand's goal, his first as a Laker and the sixth point of his rookie campaign, came 7:48 into the first period with the Lakers already trailing 1-0. Fellow freshmen Anthony Nellis (3-9-12) and Mitch Hults (6-7--13) added the assists to the tying tally.

John Parker opened the scoring for the game with a goal off of the first shot on LSSU goaltender Gordon Defiel, just 2:51 into play. Parker's goal, his eighth of the season, was assisted by Brett Beauvis.

Defiel recovered and put together a strong outing between the pipes, despite the loss, saving 25-of-27 shots by BSU.

Both sides skated to a 1-1 tie after two periods, with the Beavers claiming an 18-17 lead in shots after the first 40 minutes.

With the game tied and only 11:04 left in regulation, Lakers defenseman Aidan Wright was whistled for the team's fifth penalty of the game, a two-minute minor for cross-checking. Nine seconds later, Bemidji netted the go-ahead power-play tally with a shot from the faceoff circle by Brendan Harms.

Harms' fifth goal of the season held up as the game-winning goal.

LSSU finished 0-for-3 on the power play, while BSU scored once on six opportunities. The Beavers totaled a 27-to-26 advantage in shots.

The teams will resume the series Saturday night at 7:07 p.m. ET. Tickets for Saturday's contest are still available at the Norris Center Guest Services Desk, online at http://lssutickets.universitytickets.com, or by calling (906) 635-2602.

 

[Huskiefan906]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2015-16: The 50th season

Methinks Mel could use a lesson in class and professionalism from Damon Whitten, who is a class act all the way.

Bill was right on, as he usually is!

No, everyone that knows Coach Pearson observes that he is the epitome of class. It was a heated game, a couple of his guys got hurt and Damon and Mel had an odd handshake with Damon appearing to be the aggressor with his clenching reach. The fact that they went at it in the press box, just shows the normal I saw it like I saw it and you saw it like you saw it. No big deal, no reason to defame either coach. LSSU got a great guy when they hired Coach Whitten. Good luck to the Lakers in the stretch run.

 

[LakerBaker]

No, everyone that knows Coach Pearson observes that he is the epitome of class. It was a heated game, a couple of his guys got hurt and Damon and Mel had an odd handshake with Damon appearing to be the aggressor with his clenching reach. The fact that they went at it in the press box, just shows the normal I saw it like I saw it and you saw it like you saw it. No big deal, no reason to defame either coach. LSSU got a great guy when they hired Coach Whitten. Good luck to the Lakers in the stretch run.

I disagree, Damon Whitten did nothing wrong, and methinks your account of the incident is a bit biased towards your coach. Damon is a class act through and through, a stand up guy, and is turning around the program for the good ship Laker. It's a young team that is only going to get better with his high tempo system, high octane offense and the respect he garners with the players.