Re: LSSU Lakers 2015-16: The 50th season
Lake Superior State hockey forward Gage Torrel earned the title of Rookie of the Week in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association following last weekend's series split against Bemidji State.
Torrel, a native of Monticello, Minn., assisted on J.T. Henke's game-winning goal in Saturday's 3-0 victory over the Beavers with seven minutes remaining in regulation. Henke's goal, a power-play marker, came off of a rebound created by a shot on goal from Torrel.
With 18 seconds remaining and the Lakers clinging to a 2-0 lead, Torrel later scored an empty-net goal to cap the scoring and close out the victory for the Lakers (10-18-4, 7-11-4 WCHA). The empty-net goal gave Torrel his second point of the game and helped secure a plus/minus rating of +1 on the weekend.
This is the second time Torrel has been named WCHA Rookie of the Week this season. Torrel last won the honor on Dec. 7, 2015 following the Lakers' road sweep over Alaska. The former Langley Rivermen (British Columbia Hockey League) product was also named WCHA Rookie of the Month for his exceptional play in December.
Diego Cuglietta (Kamloops, B.C. / Merritt, BCHL) was the last freshman forward to earn the weekly honor for the Lakers. Cuglietta was named WCHA Rookie of the Week on Jan. 11 following a series split with Bowling Green.
Lake Superior State travels to Sullivan Arena this weekend to face Alaska Anchorage in a battle of teams clinging to the final two playoff spots in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association standings.
The Lakers (10-18-4, 7-11-4 WCHA) entered last week in a tie with the Seawolves (10-15-3, 7-13-2 WCHA) for seventh place in the WCHA standings, but after a split with Bemidji State and the Seawolves idle, LSSU now holds sole possession of the seventh spot.
The weekend marks the second trip to the 49th state for the Lakers this season. LSSU traveled to Fairbanks earlier this season and earned a sweep over the Alaska Nanooks on Dec. 4-5.
The Series vs. Alaska Anchorage
Overall: LSSU leads 8-4-0... In Anchorage: Tied: 2-2-0
Last meeting: Jan. 16-17, 2016, LSSU won 4-2 / UAA won 3-1
Streak: UAA 1-0-0
The Seawolves traveled to Sault Ste. Marie Jan. 16-17 and split with the Lakers. The upcoming series marks 13th and 14th meetings between the Seawolves and Lakers.
During LSSU's 4-2 win on Jan. 16, Laker freshman forward Mitch Hults opened the scoring with his fifth goal of the season and netted his sixth goal of the year with an empty-net goal. Freshmen Diego Cuglietta and Josh Nenadal also scored for the Lakers. Cuglietta's tally was a power-play game winner with 3:57 remaining in regulation.
UAA captured a 3-1 win in the series finale Jan. 17.
In four previous games played in Anchorage, the teams are knotted with a pair of split series Last season, the teams split the series in Anchorage with a pair of 3-2 decisions in the season's only two meetings.
Senior forward Bryce Schmitt scored a pair of goals, including the game-winning goal in the Lakers' 3-2 series finale victory at Anchorage last season. The 3-2 win in overtime also gave Lakers coach Damon Whitten his first career win as bench boss. Whitten was formerly an assistant coach under Dave Shyiak at Alaska Anchorage from 2006-08.
Last Time Out (vs. Bemidji State)
Friday: BSU won 2-1 Saturday: LSSU won 3-0
After falling in a crushing blow on Friday night, 2-1 at home, the Lakers responded with a 3-0 victory on Saturday.
A scoreless game through over 50 minutes of play Saturday, the Lakers finally struck with a power-play goal by J.T. Henke with seven minutes remaining. The Lakers tallied a pair of empty-net goals late, including one by Gage Torrel. Torrel, who also assisted on Henke's game-winning goal, received the WCHA's Rookie of the Week title for his efforts against the Beavers.
Sophomore goaltender Gordon Defiel Made 30 saves Saturday to record his second shutout of the season and the sixth of his career. With six career shutouts, Defiel ties Bruce Hoffort for sixth all-time on the Lakers shutout list.
• With a win last Saturday against the Beavers, the Lakers snapped a six-game losing streak, which started with the loss at home to the Seawolves on Jan. 17.
• During that stretch the Lakers were 0-for-23 on the power play, including 0-for-4 on Saturday night before Henke's game-winning goal came with six seconds remaining on the fifth power-play opportunity of the Lakers.
• The last power-play marker for the Lakers before Henke's was the game-winning goal by Cuglietta against the Seawolves (Jan. 16).
• Henke leads the Lakers with seven goals and eight assists for 15 points in 28 games played this season.
• Hults (6-8--14) and Torrel (6-8--14) are tied for second behind Henke and lead the LSSU freshman class in scoring. Both players rank second in goals and points among WCHA freshmen, while Hults has produced the most faceoff wins (232) by a league freshman. Hults is also tied for the lead among WCHA freshmen in power-play goals.
• Anthony Nellis has the most power-play points (1-8--9) by a WCHA rookie and is tied for fifth overall.
• Diego Cuglietta (4-4--8) leads WCHA freshmen and is tied fourth overall with three game-winning goals.
• Nine-of-10 LSSU game-winning goals have been scored by freshmen this season. The only game winner not scored by a freshman came from the sophomore, Henke, who is in his first season with the program. LSSU freshman class ranks second in the WCHA with nine game-winning goals behind only Minnesota State's seniors with 11.
• LSSU has the WCHA's second-most blocked shots with 428 this season. After recording three blocks last weekend, sophomore defenseman Kyle Chatham (1-3--4) leads the WCHA with 62.
A Look at the Seawolves
• UAA was idle last weekend and swept by Northern Michigan the week before. In their last six games, the Seawolves are 1-5-0.
• UAA currently sits two-points behind the Lakers in the eighth spot in the WCHA standings. Both teams will play at home next weekend and close the season with a road trip the following week.
• Blake Tatchell leads the Seawolves in scoring with seven goals and 13 assists for 20 points and is tied for 10th in WCHA scoring.
• Tad Kozun leads UAA with 12 goals and is tied for 4th in the conference. Kozun has 19 points for second on the team.
"The Big Sheet"
Sullivan Arena features an Olympic style ice surface (200' x 100'). So far this season, the Lakers are 2-0-1 in games played on the wider sheet of ice. Their only loss was 6-3 at Northern Michigan during a non-conference matchup.
First on the Board
LSSU is 6-3-2 when scoring the first goal of the game this season. UAA scored the first goal during the Lakers' 4-2 comeback win, and the Lakers scored the first goal of the 3-1 victory for the Seawolves in January.
When their opponents score first, the Lakers are 4-15-2 this season.
Next week the Lakers host Upper Peninsula rivals Northern Michigan for the final two home games of the 2015-16 regular season. The Wildcats (13-11-6) enter this weekend with a 10-8-4 record in WCHA play and sit 5th in the standings.
LSSU and NMU split a non-conference home-and-home series on Oct. 16-17 earlier this season. The Wildcats captured a 6-3 victory in the series opener at Berry Events Center before the Lakers defended home ice with a 4-0 win at Taffy Abel Arena.
Next weekend will also conclude the Cappo Cup rivalry series between the Lakers and Wildcats. The Lakers currently hold a 7-6 total-goals advantage with the series tied at 1-1-0.
Follow the Lakers
Be sure to follow Laker Hockey on Twitter (@HockeyLSSU) and on Instagram (lssuhockey) for the latest news and coverage of the team! You can also subscribe to the Laker Hockey YouTube channel for weekly videos!
Every week Bill Crawford along with head coach Damon Whitten, the assistant coaches and players take a look at the Laker Hockey program. The program includes a review of past games, a look ahead to future action and more information and insight on the team and players. The show is live from the Antler's Restaraunt on East Portage Ave. every Monday night starting at 6 p.m. and can be heard on WKNW ESPN Radio 1400. Catch up on missed shows via the podcasts available at
http://lakers.sovcomm.net/.
Single Game Tickets
Single game tickets to all of the Lakers home games cost $12 for adults and $6 for children (17-under) unless a special promotion is running. Tickets for all LSSU Athletics events can be purchased online at
http://lssutickets.universitytickets.com or by calling the Norris Center ticket office at (906) 635-2602.
WCHA Final Five
Tickets for the 2016 WCHA semifinals on March 18 and finals on March 19 at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids are $69. LSSU has seats in Section 102, Rows D through S. The first round of the WCHA Playoffs will be March 11-13 at the sites of the top four seeds. For Laker hockey ticket information, call 906-635-2602.
Laker Club
The LSSU Laker Club is the principle fundraising initiative for athletics at Lake Superior State University. With the help of a strong and active membership, the club will work to increase fan support at all LSSU athletic events. Membership also supports athletes in the classroom through Laker Club funded scholarships. LSSU athletes are high achievers inside and outside of the classroom.
