Lakers rally to take three of four points from Mavs

NEWS RELEASES

LAKE SUPERIOR STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

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Lakers come back again, beat Mavs in OT

Sim knocks in game-winner

SAULT STE. MARIE - Lake Superior State enjoyed another dramatic third period, and Laker Josh Sim finished off Saturday's Central Collegiate Hockey Association game by scoring at 1:39 of overtime to beat Nebraska-Omaha, 3-2.

By picking up three points in the series, the Lakers (13-6-3 overall, 7-4-3 CCHA) inched past Michigan in the league standings. They are tied for third place with Michigan State with 17 points.

On Friday, LSSU scored three goals in 2 1/2 minutes to come back from a 3-0 third-period deficit. The Lakers held on to tie UNO, 4-4. On Saturday, the Lakers trailed 1-0 for more than 40 minutes, then scored twice in a 1:29 span to take a 2-1 lead late in the third period.

Dan Eves, who was solid throughout the game while playing with linemates Jeff Rainville and Derek R. Smith, tied it 1-1 at 14:58 of the third period.

Laker Nathan Perkovich drilled a long shot through the slot and scored the go-ahead goal at 16:27. Although Sim drew the only assist on the power-play goal, Derek A. Smith provided the screen in front of the net.

UNO's Scott Parse, who scored both Maverick goals, tied it, 2-2, at 17:00.

The game remained deadlocked during the final three minutes. Rookie defenseman Ryan Baird set up the game-winner with a shot from the point, and teammates Dominic Osman and Sim both got their sticks on the loose rebound. Sim beat UNO goaltender Jerad Kaufmann to end the game.

Nebraska-Omaha, playing in its fourth straight overtime contest, out-shot LSSU, 5-4, in the first period, but Lake Superior State held a 34-23 advantage the rest of the way.

Freshman goaltender Pat Inglis totaled 26 saves to earn the win and improve to 5-1-0.

The Lakers finished 1-for-5 on the power play, while UNO's league-leading power-play unit was 0-for-2.

LSSU plays host to second-ranked Notre Dame on Jan. 12-13.

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Lakers rally from behind to tie Mavs, 4-4

Gysbers, Scrymgeour and D.R. Smith score in 2:37 span

SAULT STE. MARIE - The 17th-ranked Lake Superior State hockey team slogged through the first two periods of Friday's game at Taffy Abel Arena, then ignited fans with third-period heroics to tie Nebraska-Omaha, 4-4, in overtime.

Simon Gysbers, John Scrymgeour and Derek R. Smith scored LSSU goals in a 2:37 span during the final period to bring the Lakers back from a 3-0 deficit.

UNO (8-8-6 overall, 5-6-2 Central Collegiate Hockey Association) retook the lead, 4-3, on Mick Lawrence's goal at 12:38. LSSU's Nathan Perkovich tied it, 4-4, at 18:08, and the Lakers (12-6-3 overall, 6-4-3 CCHA) held on to earn a point in the league standings.

The Mavericks finished 1-for-2 on the power play, while LSSU was 0-for-2. Both teams gave up a short-handed goal. UNO's Tomas Klempa made it 3-0 with a short-handed marker at 19:27 of the second period. Derek R. Smith cut the lead to 3-2 with a short-handed goal at 7:48 of the third period.

Dan Eves led the Lakers with two assists, and Derek A. Smith, Steven Oleksy, Jeff Rainville and Dominic Osman added one each. Rainville's helper came on Derek R. Smith's short-handed goal.

Ed Del Grosso led the Mavs with a goal and two assists.

LSSU goaltender Jeff Jakaitis (8-5-3) totaled 34 saves, including 12 in the first period and 10 in the second. UNO netminder Jeremie Dupont (5-5-4) totaled 30 saves.

LSSU is 1-0-3 in overtime games this season, while UNO is 0-1-6. The Mavs also tied Yale, 4-4, last Saturday.

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