Lakers split with the 10th ranked team in the country

Lake Superior State improved to 3-3 against nationally-ranked opponents by beating No. 10 Miami 3-2 on Saturday at Taffy Abel Arena and handing the RedHawks their first Central Collegiate Hockey Association loss.

LSSU (4-3-3 overall, 3-3-2 CCHA) out-scored Miami 3-1 in the first period and held on for the win. Sophomore forward Dan Eves talled the game-winning goal at 17:23 of the opening period and assisted on Derek R. Smith's goal three minutes earlier to lead the Lakers.

LSSU captain Steve McJannet gave the Lakers a 1-0 lead at 8:12 of the first period. Miami's Nathan Davis tied it 1-1 at 12:49.

The Lakers maintained their two-goal lead until a costly turnover in their own zone enabled MU's Matt Davis to score at 8:29 of the second period.

Laker goaltender Jeff Jakaitis totaled 23 saves for the win. He stopped seven of eight shots in the second period and was 9-for-9 in the third. Miami netminder Jeff Zatkoff totaled 17 saves.

Both teams were 0-for-3 on the power play.

Colin Nicholson, Ren Fauci, Barnabas Birkeland, Troy Schwab and Matt Restoule also had assists for the Lakers.

CCHA leader Miami fell to 6-2-0 overall and 5-1-0 in the league.

The Lakers play at Ohio State on Nov. 18-19.

*** FRIDAY:

Tenth-ranked Miami remained undefeated in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association after blanking Lake Superior State 3-0 on Friday at Taffy Abel Arena.

The RedHawks (6-1-0 overall, 5-0-0 CCHA) held the Lakers scoreless on seven power-play opportunities and out-shot LSSU, 24-17.

Miami made it 1-0 on Matt Davis' even-strength goal at 16:15 of the first period. The RedHawks expanded their lead with a power-play goal by Raymond Eichenlaub at 11:35 and an even-strength goal by Joe Cooper at 15:57 of the second period.

Cooper and Davis also had assists for the RedHawks. Miami finished 1-for-5 on the power play.

The Lakers (3-3-3 overall, 2-3-2 CCHA) fell below .500 in league play a week after pulling off their first CCHA sweep since the 2000-01 season. They are 2-3 against ranked opponents this season.

Losing goaltender Jeff Jakaitis totaled 21 saves, while Miami goalie Charlie Effinger stopped 17 saves for his first shutout of the season.

(Story courtesy of Linda Bouvet of the LSSU Sports Information Department)