Lakers drop a pair to Michigan State

NEWS RELEASES

LAKE SUPERIOR STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

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Spartans score twice in the third period to secure win

LSSU concludes first half of schedule at UNO

SAULT STE. MARIE - Fifth-ranked Michigan State scored three unanswered goals, including two in the third period by Bryan Lerg, to secure a 5-2 victory over Lake Superior State on Saturday at Taffy Abel Arena.

MSU swept the series and improved to 10-3-2 overall and 6-2-1 in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. LSSU (2-11-1 overall, 0-8-0 CCHA) has one more chance to put points on the CCHA board during the first half of the season when it travels to Nebraska-Omaha on Dec. 7-8.

Michigan State's Michael Ratchuk scored the game's first goal at 17:34 of the first period. LSSU freshman Rick Schofield tied it, 1-1, with a power-play goal at 7:01 of the second period. Zac MacVoy and Simon Gysbers drew assists.

MSU's Tim Crowder scored a power-play goal at 10:01 of the middle stanza, but Laker Nathan Perkovich answered with an even-strength goal 35 seconds later. Dillin Stonehouse and Troy Schwab assisted on Perkovich's ninth goal of the season and second of the series.

MSU's Tim Kennedy scored the game-winner at 15:02 of the second period. Bryan Lerg's goals were scored at 2:32 and 11:39 of the third period. Matt Schepke assisted on both Lerg goals.

MSU goaltender Jeff Lerg totaled 24 saves, while Pat Inglis had 36 saves for the Lakers. The Spartans were 2-for-8 on the power play, and LSSU was 1-for-4. Lake Superior State picked up two penalties during the final four and one-half minutes, which thwarted attempts to score with an extra attacker. MSU out-shot LSSU 19-5 in the third period.

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No. 5 MSU edges LSSU 3-2 during Game 1 of CCHA series

Lakers cut deficit to one goal during exciting final minute

SAULT STE. MARIE - Nine months after playing a back-and-forth thriller during the Central Collegiate Hockey Association Playoffs at Joe Louis Arena, Lake Superior State and fifth-ranked Michigan State battled to the wire again.

For the second time in as many meetings, MSU pulled off the one-goal victory, winning 3-2 Friday at Taffy Abel Arena during Game 1 of a CCHA series.

Last March, LSSU scored two goals with the goalie pulled in favor of the extra attacker to come from behind during the final 1:06 and tie the CCHA consolation game 6-6. The Lakers wound up losing 7-6 in overtime.

On Friday, LSSU failed to score during a five-minute power play late in the third period, but cut a two-goal MSU lead in half when Rick Schofield scored at 19:41 with goalie Brian Mahoney-Wilson out of the net and an extra attacker on the ice. Troy Schwab and Matt Cowie drew the assists.

Mahoney-Wilson stayed on the bench during the final 19 seconds, but this time the Lakers (2-10-1 overall, 0-7-0 CCHA) couldn't muster a game-tying goal.

Michigan State (9-3-2 overall, 5-2-0 CCHA) jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first period on power play goals by Bryan Lerg at 14:06 and Chris Mueller at 19:52. Spartan Michael Ratchuk assisted on both goals.

MSU's Nick Sucharski made it 3-0 with an even-strength goal at 3:16 of the second period, while Matt Schepke picked up his second assist of the game.

LSSU goal-scoring leader Nathan Perkovich tallied his eighth goal of the season at 10:39 of the second period during a Laker power play. He chipped in a rebound off Steven Kaunisto's initial shot, and Carter Lee drew an assist for his first point as a Laker.

The Lakers' play during the final 40 minutes was their best second and third-period performance in five games. They out-scored the Spartans 2-1 and out-shot them, 21-11.

Mahoney-Wilson totaled 19 saves, including nine in the first period and 10 during the final 40 minutes. MSU goaltender Jeff Lerg totaled 25 saves, including 12 in the second period and seven in the third. The Lakers were 1-for-4 on the power play, while MSU was 2-for-5.

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