SEASON PREVIEW: Lake Superior State

by Tom Balog/ LSSU Beat Writer

Head Coach: Jim Roque (7th season)

Home Arena: Taffy Abel Arena

Last Season: 13-17-9 Overall (8-12-8 CCHA, 8th): lost to Notre Dame in a second round CCHA playoff series

Laker returning vets:
Goal: Kevin Kapalka, Niels-Erik Ravn
Defense: Matt Bruneteau, Kyle Haines Andrew Perreault, Kyle Pobur, Zach Sternberg, Zach Trotman
Forward: Dan Barczuk, Colin Campbell, Fred Cassiani, Brian Cooper, Kyle Jean, Kellan Lain, Nick McParland, Domenic Monardo, Ben Power, Dan Radke, Nick Shkreli, Brett Wall

Lakers no more:
Goal: Brian Mahoney-Wilson
Defense: Dillin Stonehouse, Matt Cowie,
Forward: Will Acton, Tyson Hobbins, Chad Nehring , Rick Schofield,

New to the Anchor:
Goal: Kevin Murdock
Defense: T.J. Wees, Kevin Czuczman
Forward: Kelin Ainsworth, Stephen Perfetto, Buddy Robinson, Chris Ciotti, Andrew Dommett

Outlook:

The Lakers will be counting on experience in both the net and blueline and watching for players to step up on the front lines in the 2011-2012 season.

“We're pretty experienced in the back end and a lot of the sophomores now that were freshmen last year played pivotal roles and I expect them to take their games to the next level,“ says LSSU Head Coach Jim Roque. “We have some pretty good leadership with our seniors. But I wouldn't necessarily call us a young team, we have a lot of "middleclassmen" and we need them to step up to replace guys like Will Acton and Rick Schofield from last year.”

Kevin Kapalka should be between the pipes for the majority of the campaign and returns after an impressive 2010-11 season where he racked up CCHA All-Rookie Team goaltender honors.

“Nothing bothers him,” says Roque. “If he gets scored on, he just shakes it off and moves on, it's not going to bother him. He's very calm, and he doesn't get rattled. You won't see him hit his stick or get mad, or flaunt when he makes a great save.”

Kapalka rolled to a 12-12-8 record, .924 save percentage and 2.34 goals-against average in his rookie season "Up North".

Just two of LSSU’s top five point scorers return to the ice in the Sault this season.

Junior forward Domenic Monardo is the Lakers number two scorer from last season with 12 goals and 17 assists for 29 points and will be counted on to put the puck in the back of the net.

Junior blueliner Zach Trotman chipped in 6 goals and 20 points and was fourth on the squad last season.

Senior Kyle Haines will also help anchor a solid defensive corp. Haines was a two-time CCHA Defensive Player of the Week and totaled 4 goals and 10 points last season.

The Lakers open the season with a pair of road games against the Alabama-Huntsville Chargers on Sat, Oct 1-2. The series marks just the third meeting between the Lakers and Chargers and the Lakers' first ever trip to Huntsville, AL.