Lakers split with Bowling Green

NEWS RELEASES

LAKE SUPERIOR STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

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Lakers settle for series split at BGSU

LSSU comeback falls a bit short

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - After spotting the Bowling Green State hockey team a 3-0 lead, Lake Superior State's comeback effort fell a bit short, and the Lakers settled for a series split on the road for the third time this season.

Bowling Green held on for a 4-2 victory on Saturday and claimed its first Central Collegiate Hockey Association win of the season. LSSU, which won Friday's contest 3-1, dropped to 5-3-0 overall and 2-2-0 in the CCHA. BGSU improved to 3-4-1 overall and 1-3-0 in league play.

Tomas Petruska and Rich Meloche scored 23 seconds apart midway through the second period to give the Falcons a commanding 3-0 lead. Derek Whitmore tallied BGSU's first goal at 2:53 of the opening period.

LSSU closed the gap to 3-1 when Trent Campbell scored at 3:08 of the third period. Dominic Osman cut the deficit to 3-2 with an even-strength goal at 9:08. Marty Gurnoe, Jeff Rainville and Jason Blain drew assists for the Lakers.

BGSU put the game out of reach on James Perkin's goal at 14:21 of the third period.

The Falcons out-shot LSSU, 43-28. BGSU netminder Jimmy Spratt totaled 26 saves and improved to 2-2 for the season.

Laker starting goaltender Jeff Jakaitis (3-3-0) allowed three goals and totaled 22 saves through 30:02. Freshman goalie Pat Inglis finished the game for LSSU and totaled 17 saves. He allowed one goal. LSSU and BGSU were a combined 0-for-9 on the power play for the night. Bowling Green State finished 0-for-8 with the man-advantage for the weekend, while Lake Superior State was 2-for-10.

Friday Scoring Changes

Scoring changes were made to two of LSSU's goals on Friday. Dominic Osman and Derek R. Smith were credited with assists on Rainville's second-period goal.

Video confirmed that Smith tipped in LSSU's third-period goal that was originally credited to Barnabas Birkeland. Campbell and Birkeland had the assists.

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Lakers win Game 1 of series at BGSU

Perkovich extends scoring streak to six games

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -- Lake Superior State extended its winning streak to three games Friday by beating Bowling Green State, 3-1, in Game 1 of this weekend's Central Collegiate Hockey Association series against the Falcons.

LSSU improved to 5-2-0 overall and 2-1-0 in the CCHA, while BGSU dropped to 2-4-1 overall and 0-3-0 in league play.

The Lakers required defensemen Barnabas Birkeland, Derek A. Smith, Justin Gutwald, Simon Gysbers and Steven Oleksy to pull extra duty to secure the victory. Gutwald traveled from the Sault to Bowling Green on Friday to give LSSU a fifth defenseman. Projected starters Marty Gurnoe and Steven Kaunisto missed the game due to illness.

Freshman forward Nathan Perkovich extended his scoring streak to six games by tallying the first goal of the contest at 7:33 of the first period during a Laker power play. Matt Martello and Trent Campbell drew assists.

BGSU tied it, 1-1, on Brandon Svendsen's goal at 10:18 of the opening period.

LSSU killed off a 5-on-3 power-play early in the second period, then took a 2-1 lead at the 11:11 mark when senior Jeff Rainville scored his fifth goal of the season. Gysbers was credited with the only assist. Birkeland made it 3-1 with a power-play goal at 17:20 of the third period. Campbell and Gutwald had assists.

Senior goaltender Jeff Jakaitis of Lake Superior State was named the game's first star after stopping 34 of 35 shots. BGSU netminder Eddie Neville totaled 29 saves.

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