Lakers sweep Nanooks in the Soo

By Michael David/LSSU Beat Writer

The Lake Superior State Lakers were looking for a spark to help break thier four-game losing streak with the Alaska Nanooks on town. They may have found it in forward Colin Campbell, who, coming off injury, played his first shift of the season. It took only nine seconds of that first shift to find line-mate Kellan Lain streaking down the middle and get the puck to him. Lain popped it into the half-empty net, making the score 1-0 Lakers. Nick McParland also assisted on the goal. Just under a minute later, defenseman Zach Sternberg ripped a shot from the right circle to help his team build a 2-0 lead. Forwards Buddy Robinson and Ben Power assisted on Sternberg's goal. The Lakers would lose some of their momentum, giving up a short-handed goal two minutes later to the Nanooks.

Lake State would build a 3-1 lead half-way through the second period, however, when captain Dominic Monardo banged home a tally assisted by his Dan Radke and Chris Ciotti.

The Lakers would keeping building their lead in the third period, also. Robinson scored a goal of his own to make it 4-1, assisted by defensmen Matt Bruneteau and Andrew Perrault. Monardo would wrap up the game's scoring with his second goal just 30 seconds after Robinson's. Sternberg and Power assisted on the goal to put the Lakers up 5-1.

LSSU killed all of Alaska's seven power-plays, and were 0-6 themselves. Junior netminder Kevin Murdock made 46 saves for the Lakers to earn his ninth win of the season.

Saturday night the Lakers got on the scoreboard early, also. Freshman scored his second goal up the season, unassisted, to put Lake State up 1-0. Alaska would score it's only power-play goal of the weekend, to tie the score up at one.

In the second stanza, Monardo would score his third goal of the weekend, with assists going to Radke and Bruneteau. The game-winner came from Bruneteau, when he drilled a shot just inside the blue-line that found it's way into the Nanook net.

Alaska would make things interesting in the third period, scoring to cut the Laker lead to 3-2. Lake State held tough, however, and Stephen Perfetto would score the empty-netter to seal the deal 4-2. Defensman Perreault and Kevin Czuczman assisted on the empty-net goal.

The Lakers were 0-3 with the man advantage, but held Alaska to 1-7. Junior goalie Kevin Kapalka made 33 saves for Lake State for his sixth win of the season. The Lakers(15-16-1, 10-13-1-1 CCHA) stay in league competition next weekend, as they host the Miami Redhawks.

Photos property of Michael David