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Lakers battling for playoff positioning

There is one weekend left in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association regular season
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The Lake Superior State Lakers hockey team remains in a tight battle for playoff positioning heading into the final weekend of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association regular season.

 

The Lakers went on the road and picked up two points in Alaska against the Nanooks over the weekend.

On Friday night, Alaska scored a pair of goals in the third period to beat Lake State 4-2.

Ryker Leer, Marcus Basara, Colton Leiter and Tyler Cline scored for Alaska. Goaltender Davis Jones made 21 saves.

Bryan Basilico and Gus Correale scored for the Lakers.

In the weekend finale on Saturday night, the Lakers would rebound to pick up a pair of points in the standings thanks to a goal by Luke Morgan at 2:31 of the second overtime.

Alaska opened up a 3-1 lead through 20 minutes before Lake State forced overtime with a pair of goals in the third period. Max Humitz pulled the Lakers to within one 1:51 into the third and Anthony Nellis forced overtime with a goal at 16:49 of the third.

J.T. Henke had the other Lakers goal in regulation time and finished the night with a goal and two assists.

Cline, Justin Woods and Josh Erickson scored in regulation time for Alaska. Jones made 39 saves, including 17 in the third period.

With an 8-12-5 conference record, the Lakers now sit seventh in the WCHA standings, one point behind sixth-place Alaska and five points behind Bowling Green and Ferris State, who are currently tied for fourth.

With teams receiving three points for a regulation or single overtime victory, the Lakers have an opportunity to pass all three teams in the standings on the final weekend of the regular season, pending results of other action.

The Lakers host Ferris State for a pair of games beginning on Friday night at Taffy Abel Arena. In order to pass Bowling Green, Lake State would need the Falcons to lose a pair of games at home against Alabama Huntsville, while winning both games against Ferris State. A sweep of Ferris State would guarantee the Lakers move ahead of the Bulldogs in the standings. Alaska faces Alaska Anchorage on the final weekend of the season.


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Brad Coccimiglio

About the Author: Brad Coccimiglio

A graduate of Loyalist College’s Sports Journalism program, Brad Coccimiglio’s work has appeared in The Hockey News as well as online at FoxSports.com in addition to regular freelance work with SooToday before joining the team full time.
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