'Saskatchewan Line' leads Lakers in weekend split

NEWS RELEASES

LAKE SUPERIOR STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

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Lakers get back on winning track with victory over OSU

Saskatchewan line scores three goals

SAULT STE. MARIE - The Saskatchewan Line of Trent Campbell, Josh Sim and Troy Schwab reunited Friday after a brief one-series breakup and scored three goals to lead the Lake Superior State hockey team to a 4-2 victory over Ohio State.

The Lakers (14-10-3 overall, 8-8-3 Central Collegiate Hockey Association) snapped a four-game losing streak and took a 2-1 lead in this season's cluster series against the Buckeyes (9-11-5 overall, 7-8-4 CCHA).

Ohio State went into the series with a one-point lead over LSSU in the CCHA standings.

Lake Superior State rallied back from a 1-0 deficit and built a 3-1 command.

Buckeye Tom Fritsche scored the first of his two goals at 16:55 of the second period. Laker Jeff Rainville tied it, 1-1, at 16:55 as Dominic Osman and Derek R. Smith drew assists.

Campbell and Schwab took advantage of Buckeye turnovers in OSU's zone and scored at 00:20 and 9:46 of the third period, respectively. Schwab had the only assist on Campbell's goal. Schwab made it 3-1 with his fourth goal of the season, which was unassisted.

Fritsche cut the lead to 3-2 at 12:46. Ohio State pulled goaltender Joseph Palmer in favor of an extra attacker with 1:03 to go. Sim won a race to a loose puck, tallied an empty-net goal with 42 seconds remaining and secured the win.

LSSU scored four goals on only 22 shots. Laker netminder Jeff Jakaitis stopped 33 of 35 shots on goal, including 14 of 15 shots in the third period.

Ohio State finished 1-for-1 on the power play, while LSSU was 0-for-2.

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LSSU falls short in comeback attempt

OSU and LSSU split cluster series

SAULT STE. MARIE - The Lake Superior State hockey team nearly pulled off another comeback from a 3-0 deficit, but Ohio State's power-play goal with 6:31 remaining gave the Buckeyes the momentum they needed for a 5-3 win Saturday at Taffy Abel Arena.

OSU's win left the cluster series tied, 2-2. The Buckeyes (10-11-5, 8-8-4 Central Collegiate Hockey Association) reclaimed their one-point lead over Lake State in the league standings. LSSU dropped to 14-11-3 overall, 8-9-3 in the CCHA.

Ohio State built a 3-0 lead on goals by Sean Collins and Domenic Maiani in the first period, and Tommy Goebel in the second period. Collins and Maini scored 49 seconds apart, at 4:09 and 4:58, respectively. OSU out-shot LSSU, 13-6, in the first period.

Laker Josh Sim spoiled OSU's shutout by scoring his team-leading 13th goal of the season at 5:57 of the third period. Steve Kaunisto drew the only assist.

Trent Campbell cut it to 3-2 with a power-play goal at 9:43. Troy Schwab and Derek A. Smith assisted on the goal.

Corey Elkins scored Ohio State's only power-play goal at 13:29 and regained a two-goal advantage for the Buckeyes.

LSSU, which trailed Nebraska-Omaha 3-0 and came back to tie the Mavs on Jan. 5, refused to give in to the Buckeyes. The Lakers continued their comeback effort by pulling goaltender Pat Iglis in favor of an extra attacker with six minutes to go. A five-minute major with 3:05 remaining gave the Lakers a 6-on-4 advantage. OSU, however, capitalized on a 3-on-2 break-away and scored an empty-net goal at 18:53.

With Inglis still out of the net, Laker Jeff Rainville rounded out the scoring with a power-play goal at 19:46. Barnabas Birkeland and Nathan Perkovich had assists.

LSSU out-shot OSU in the third period, 15-5, to claim a 32-29 edge for the game. The Lakers finished 2-for-8 on the power play, while the Buckeyes were 1-for-3.

Inglis totaled 24 saves. OSU goaltender Joseph Palmer (10-9-4) totaled 29 saves.

Lake Superior State opens a home-and-home series against Northern Michigan at 7:35 p.m. Friday at Marquette.

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