Two Sault natives on latest LSSU all-decade team

As Lake Superior State continues to honour the 50 years of the schools hockey program, the second all-decade team, spanning 1976-86, was announced on Tuesday.

After four Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. natives were among the first all-decade team that covered the first 10 years of the program, a pair of Sault natives were named to the all-decade team for the years spanning 1976-86.

The school is allowing fans to vote for three forwards, two defencemen and a goaltender in the voting process, which began with the first 10 years of the program earlier this month.

The latest vote saw a pair of Sault, Ont. natives among the forward group.

Forwards Bob Ciotti and Nick Palumbo were among the four forwards voted in. Ciotti had the second-most votes behind Dr. Steve Mulholland while Palumbo finished tied for third with Steve Sherman.

Ciotti, whose nephew Chris played for Lake State from 2011 to 2015, is a former captain of the Lakers as a senior in 1980-81 and was the team most valuable player after posting 15 goals and 45 points in 32 games. In four seasons with the Lakers, Ciotti scored 55 goals and 146 points in 117 games.

Palumbo played in 154 games between 1982 and 1986, scoring 56 goals and 128 points, which included 14 goals and 31 assists in 44 games as a junior. His junior season (1984-85) began a string of 13 straight seasons with a winning record for the program.

Sherman finished his four-year career with Lake State with 177 points in 136 games between 1978 and 1982. Mulholland was the only player in LSSU history to lead the team in scoring in all four seasons with the program. He finished his Lakers career with 95 goals and 206 points.

The defencemen on the all-decade team included former NHL defenceman Chris Dalquist, who was a Central Collegiate Hockey Association All-Academic as a senior in the 1984-85 season. He had 12 goals and 68 points in 158 games with LSSU before embarking on an NHL career that saw him play in 532 games.

The second defencemen was Chris Guy, who played the same four seasons as Dalquist. He holds the Lakers record for most points in a game by a defencemen with a goal and four assists on Mar. 3 1984 against Bowling Green. He finished his career with 120 points in 154 games.

The all-decade team goaltender selection was Pat Tims. He was a freshman on the Lakers 1974 NAIA team that won a national championship. He played four seasons with Lake State and holds school records for saves in a season (1,028 in 1974), career saves (3,477) and saves in a game (54 against St. Louis in 1974).

Voting for LSSU’s 1986-96 all-decade team is currently underway and concludes on Sept. 2.