Lake Superior State Lakers men's ice hockey

Lake Superior State Lakers
University Lake Superior State University
Conference WCHA
Head coach Damon Whitten
2nd year, 22–50–7
Arena Taffy Abel Arena
Capacity: 4,000
Location Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
Colors Royal blue and Gold
           
NCAA Tournament Champions
1988, 1992, 1994
NCAA Tournament Frozen Four
1988, 1992, 1993, 1994
NCAA Tournament Appearances
1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996
NAIA Tournament Champions
1972, 1974
NAIA Tournament Appearances
1968, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974
Conference Tournament Champions
1991, 1992, 1993, 1995
Conference Regular Season Champions
1973–74, 1987–88, 1990–91, 1995–96
Current uniform

The Lake Superior State Lakers men's ice hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I college ice hockey program that represents Lake Superior State University. The Lakers are a member of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA). They play at the Taffy Abel Arena in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.

History

NAIA years

The Lake Superior State men's ice hockey program began in 1966 as a member of the NAIA, under coach Ron Mason. The Lakers won the first program game with a 7-0 shutout of the VFW Chippewas.[1] The shutout and win streak continued through the team's second ever game when Lake Superior State College won 2-0 against the Sault (Ont.) Rapids. The Lakers finished their inaugural season 15-5-0.[1]

The Lakers joined the International Collegiate Hockey Association (ICHA) its second season and stayed in the league through the 1973-74 season.[2] The Lakers swept their first league series in program history with two high scoring games against Lakehead, winning 9-4 on November 18, 1967 and 8-6 the following night.[1] The pattern continued as Lake Superior swept through the regular season and advanced to the programs first ever post-season tournament appearance in the 1968 NAIA Ice Hockey Tournament.[1] The Lakers won their first ever playoff game in deciding fashion 7-1 over Gustavus Adolphus College. Lake Superior's run was ended in the 1968 NAIA Championship game when they lost to Bemidji State 4-5.[1] History repeated itself the following season when Lake Superior again fell to Bemidji in the 1969 NAIA Championship 5-6. The Lakers finished the season with a record of 21-5-1, the only losses on the season coming at the hands of the Beavers.[1][3]

In the 1969-70 season Lake Superior again advanced through the ICHA regular season and the ICHA to the 1970 NAIA Tournament. Lake Superior advanced to the championship game against Bemidji State for the third straight season with a dominating 22-3 win over Alaska Methodist.[1] The Lakers fell to Bemidji State 4-7, the third straight loss to Bemidji State in the NAIA Championship game.[1]

The 1970-71 season marked the first season since the inaugural 1966-67 season that the Lakers failed to make the NAIA tournament, finishing the season with a record of 13-9-4.[1][3] The Lakers joined the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) as one of the founding members of the league in the 1971 and began play in the CCHA for the 1972-73 season.[4] Lake Superior also remained in the ICHA and NAIA. The Lakers picked up their first CCHA victory on November 4, 1972 when they beat Saint Louis University 7-3.[1] The team qualified for the NAIA Championship Tournament after not receiving a bid in the past season. The Lakers defeated Wisconsin State 12-2 and defeated Gustavus Adolphus 9-3 to win the program's first ever National Championship.[1] Lake Superior fell to Lakehead in the 1973 NAIA Championship Tournament, marking the Lakers first post season loss not in the Championship game, but rebounded the next day with an 11-3 win over Gustavus Adolphus for the NAIA Third Place game.[1] Following the 1973-74 season Ron Mason left to become the head coach at Bowling Green, Mason was replaced by Rick Comley.[3]

The 1973-74 season marked a historic year for the Lakers ice hockey program. Lake Superior State finished the regular season and qualified for the 1974 NAIA Championship Tournament. The Lakers advanced to the NAIA Final Four with a 7-1 victory over Concordia College (MN), then picked up a deciding 9-2 win over St. Thomas to advance into the NAIA Championship against rival Bemidji State. The Lakers won their second NAIA Championship with a 4-1 victory over the Beavers.[1] The championship was not the end of the season, as the Lakers also received a bid to the CCHA Tournament. Lake Superior won their first ever CCHA playoff game against Western Michigan but fell in the CCHA Championship to Saint Louis 3-8.[1] The Lakers also advanced to the National Invitational Tournament held in Saint Louis, Missouri but fell 2-3 to Vermont and 1-9 to CCHA rival Saint Louis.[1] The 1973-74 also marked Lake Superiors last season as a member of the NAIA for ice hockey.

Championship era

Frank Anzalone took over mid-season in 1983 after a period of mediocracy over the last eight seasons.[3] Under Anzalone LSSU would turn around from an 11th-place CCHA finish to second in the CCHA two seasons later in 1984-85.[5] The Lakers advanced to the CCHA Championship with a win over Bowling Green but lost to Michigan State 1-5 at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan. Despite the second place CCHA finish LSSU qualified for the 1985 NCAA tournament, the school's first ever NCAA Tournament appearance for ice hockey.[5] Lake Superior fell to Rensselaer 3-7 in the first of the three game series and came up short with a 3-3 tie in the second game.[6] RPI would go on in the tournament to become the National Champions.[6]

Two seasons later in the 1987-88 season Anzalone led the Lakers to the teams' first 30-win season. Lake Superior State won the CCHA Regular Season Champions but finished as the CCHA Tournament Runner-Up with a 5-3 loss to Bowling Green. Lake State advanced to the NCAA Tournament and outscored Merrimack by a combined score of 9-3 in two games and advanced to the Frozen Four against Maine. The Lakers came away with a 6-3 win, giving LSSU their first ever appearance in the NCAA Championship game.[3] Lake Superior took on St. Lawrence in the championship and won their first NCAA National Championship, thanks to Mark Vermette's goal that gave the Lakers a 4-3 overtime win. Laker Goalie Bruce Hoffort was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 1988 Frozen Four. Lake Superior State University is the smallest school in NCAA history to win a Division 1 national championship.[1]

Lake Superior received at-large bids the following two season in 1989 and 1990 but championship hopes ended in the first round with back-to-back first round losses at the hands of Harvard and Colgate.[7][8]

Following the 1989-90 season and the NCAA First Round loss to Colgate, Anzalone left to coach the Newmarket Saints of the AHL and later other minor league professional teams.[9] Jeff Jackson took over the program and continued the winning tradition of the Lakers. In his first season as head coach at Lake Superior Jackson led the team to a CCHA Regular Season Championship and CCHA Tournament Championship through a tough 6-5 OT win over Michigan. The CCHA Championship gave Lake Superior an automatic bid to the 1991 NCAA Tournament where the team would lose 2 games to 1 of a three-game first round series against Clarkson.[1][10]

In Jackson's second season, the 1991-1992 Lakers would finish 20-8-4 in the CCHA, good enough for 2nd in the final standings behind Michigan. The Lakers swept Illinois-Chicago in a 2-0 sweep in the Soo to advance to Detroit, Michigan for the CCHA Finals. After knocking off Michigan State 5-3, the Lakers would win their second straight CCHA Playoff Championship, in a rematch of the previous season with a 3-1 win over Michigan.[1] Lake Superior advanced through the NCAA Tournament with wins over Alaska-Anchorage, Minnesota and CCHA and in-state rival Michigan State. Lake Superior won their second NCAA Championship with a 5-3 win over Wisconsin.[1][11]

The 1992-1993 Lakers went 32-8-5, 20-5-5 in the CCHA (3rd place). In the CCHA playoffs, the Lakers swept Illinois-Chicago in a best 2-out-of-3 series in the Soo behind Rob Valicevic's 4 goals. In Detroit, the Lakers destroyed Bowling Green 7-1, again paced by Valicevic's hat-trick. In the semifinals, the Lakers and Wolverines would square off. Behind Wayne Strachan's hat-trick and 19-saves by Blaine Lacher, the Lakers knocked off Michigan, 5-3. The Lakers would win the CCHA Title for a third straight season with a 3-0 shutout of CCHA Regular Season Champion Miami (OH), and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. In the West Regional in Detroit, the Lakers would open up with Minnesota-Duluth. With the game tied a 1-1, the Lakers' Brian Rolston scored two goals in 59-seconds to give LSSU the lead for good in a 4-3 victory. The win over Minnestoa-Dultuth sent the Lakers their second straight Frozen Four. In the national semi-final, played in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the Lakers faced off with perennial powerhouse, Boston University. The Lakers jumped out to a 2-0 first period lead behind goals by Kurt Miller and Brian Rolston. The Lakers would not look back and would knock-off the Terriers 6-1, while Maine defeated fellow-CCHA rival Michigan, 4-3 in overtime. In the 1993 NCAA Championship game, the Lakers would face the Maine Black Bears, led by future NHL star Paul Kariya and Maine's all-time leading scorer Jim Montgomery. Maine's Patrice Tardif and Chris Ferraro gave Maine a 2-1 lead after the first period. The Lakers roared back in the second period with goals from Clayton Beddoes, John Hendry, and Wayne Strachan to take a 4-2 lead after two periods. However, Montgomery's natural hat-trick in the 3rd period lead the Black Bears to a 5-4 victory in the championship game. Brian Rolston and Michael Smith were named to the all-tournament team.[1][12]

The 1993-1994 season began as a potential rebuilding season for Coach Jackson and the Lakers. With a line-up that included 12 freshman, very few people outside of Sault Ste. Marie expected the Lakers to make a third straight trip to the Frozen Four. However, the Lakers put together a 31-10-4regular season, and a 2nd place CCHA finish with an 18-8-4 record. Lake Superior State lost the 1994 CCHA Championship game 3-0 to the Michigan Wolverines, but the Lakers' received an at-large bid to the 1994 Tournament. The underdog Lakers would play in the West Regional in East Lansing, Michigan. In the opener, the Lakers played in one of the most controversial NCAA regional games in history against Northeastern. Late in the 3rd period, and the game deadlocked at 5-5, Northeastern's Dan Lupo appeared the give the Huskies a 6-5 lead. However, the officials ruled that the entire puck had not crossed the goal line, thus negating the potential go ahead goal. The Lakers won the game, 6-5, with an overtime winner just 15-seconds into the extra frame. In the second game of the NCAA Regional, the Lakers again matched up with the Michigan Wolverines, a team who had won both the CCHA Regular Season and Playoff Championships and had beaten the Lakers four times during the season. The Lakers and Wolverines would play to a 4-4 score at the end of regulation, with the Lakers upsetting Michigan with an overtime goal 5-4. In the national semi-finals, played in St.Paul, Minnesota, the Lakers again won in overtime, this time beating Harvard, 3-2.[13] The streak of overtime games was snapped in St. Paul, Minnesota when the Lakers exploded to a 9-1 win over Boston University to win the program's third NCAA Division I Men's Hockey Title.[3][13]

Jeff Jackson would coach the Lakers for two more seasons, making the NCAA Tournament in both 1995 and 1996. The team would lose in Regional Final games both seasons against Boston University in a rematch of the 1994 Championship and to Vermont in 1996.[1][3] The 1995-96 season marked the last time (to-date) that the Lakers advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Jackson stepped down as head coach of Lake Superior to become the national coach and senior director of the newly founded U.S. National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Michigan.[14] Anzalone and Jackson combined to lead to the program to an impressive run, Lake Superior appeared in the NCAA Tournament for nine consecutive seasons. Those nine seasons included three NCAA Division I Championships and one runner-up spot.[3]

Recent history

Lake Superior returned to a cool period after Jackson left the program. After five lacklustre seasons under Scott Borek, Frank Anzalone returned to the program in 2001 but hopes that the program would be turned around to its former glory was quenched after four seasons where the Lakers failed to reach the 10-win mark.[3] Former Laker Jim Roque became coach in 2005 and, in his second season, led the Lakers to the team's first 20-win season since 1996.[3] However, in 2014, after obtaining only three winning seasons in nine years, Roque was let go in favour of Damon Whitten.

In 2010 the university announced a $5 million project to renovate and expand the James Norris Center, the athletic and recreational facility that houses the Taffy Abel Arena.[15] The renovations will include expansion of areas around the LSSU Hockey locker room. With expanded coaches offices and spaces, a training room, equipment room, and athletic training offices.[15]

In the summer of 2011, the Big Ten Conference announced intentions to begin sponsoring men's ice hockey in 2013,[16] followed by Miami (OH) announcing the formation of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference for 2013 with and five other schools breaking from the WCHA.[17] The realignment continued on July 20, 2011, when Northern Michigan was approved for membership in the WCHA beginning with the 2013-2014 season.[18] On August 23, 2011 members of the WCHA and CCHA met in Chicago, Illinois in reaction to the 2011 college hockey realignment.[19] The WCHA then sent invitations to the five remaining CCHA schools. The Lakers quickly accepted their invitation to join the conference for the 2013-14 season, followed by several other CCHA members.[20]

Season-by-season results

This is a partial list of the last six seasons completed by the Lakers.[3] For the full season-by-season history, see Lake Superior State Lakers men's ice hockey seasons

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses

As of the completion of 2011–12 season

Season GP W L T Finish Playoffs
2010–11 39 13 17 9 8th, CCHA Lost in CCHA Quarterfinal, 1–2 (Notre Dame)
2011–12 40 18 17 5 7th, CCHA Lost in CCHA Quarterfinal, 0–2 (Western Michigan)
2012–13 39 17 21 1 8th, CCHA Lost in CCHA First Round, 1–2 (Bowling Green)
2013–14 36 16 19 1 9th, WCHA Failed to qualify for WCHA Tournament
2014-15 38 8 28 2 9th, WCHA Lost in WCHA Quarterfinal, 0–2 (Minnesota State)
2015-16 41 14 22 5 7th, WCHA Lost in WCHA Quarterfinal, 1–2 (Minnesota State)

Coaches

All-time coaching records

As of the completion of 2015–16 season[3]

Tenure Coach Years Record Pct.
2014–present Damon Whitten 2 22–50–7 .323
2005–2014 Jim Roque 9 136–165–46 .458
1996–2001 Scott Borek 5 76–94–15 .451
1990–1996 Jeff Jackson 6 182–52–25 .751
1983–1990, 2001–2005 Frank Anzalone 11 223–205–41 .519
1981–1983 Bill Selman 2 26–30–3 .466
1976–1981 Rick Yeo 5 69–97–5 .418
1973–1976 Rick Comley 3 59–46–3 .560
1966–1973 Ron Mason 7 129–47–8 .723
Totals 9 coaches 50 seasons 922–786–153 .537

Players

Current roster

As of January 19, 2016.[21]

# S/P/C Player Class Pos Height Weight DoB Hometown Previous team NHL rights
1 Minnesota Davis, AaronAaron Davis Junior G 5' 8" (1.73 m) 162 lb (73 kg) 1992-01-15 Mound, Minnesota Texas (NAHL) —
2 British Columbia Renz, RyanRyan Renz Sophomore D 6' 2" (1.88 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1993-08-04 Castlegar, British Columbia Vernon (BCHL) —
3 Minnesota Spratte, PetePete Spratte Senior D 5' 10" (1.78 m) 176 lb (80 kg) 1991-02-23 Rochester, Minnesota Fairbanks (NAHL) —
5 Maryland McArdle, MattMatt McArdle Freshman D 6' 0" (1.83 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1995-07-11 Annapolis, Maryland Sioux City (USHL) —
6 New York Roll, JamesJames Roll Sophomore D 6' 2" (1.88 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1993-06-11 West Seneca, New York Carleton Place (CCHL) —
7 Michigan Henke, J. T.J. T. Henke Sophomore F 5' 9" (1.75 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1994-05-17 Trenton, Michigan Jersey (USPHL) —
8 British Columbia Cuglietta, DiegoDiego Cuglietta Freshman F 5' 10" (1.78 m) 177 lb (80 kg) 1995-08-12 Kamloops, British Columbia Merritt (BCHL) —
9 Ontario McKay, AustinAustin McKay (C) Senior F 6' 5" (1.96 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1991-01-31 Toronto, Ontario Drayton Valley (AJHL) —
10 Michigan Johnson, MattMatt Johnson Junior F 6' 1" (1.85 m) 208 lb (94 kg) 1991-06-25 Clinton Township, Michigan Amarillo (NAHL) —
11 British Columbia Patterson, ScottScott Patterson Sophomore F 5' 11" (1.8 m) 178 lb (81 kg) 1993-03-21 North Vancouver, British Columbia Merritt (BCHL) —
12 Illinois Chatham, KyleKyle Chatham Junior D 6' 3" (1.91 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1993-02-17 Belleville, Illinois Powell River (BCHL) —
13 British Columbia Correale, GusGus Correale Junior F 5' 10" (1.78 m) 178 lb (81 kg) 1993-09-29 Prince George, British Columbia Grande Prairie (AJHL) —
14 Florida Hayes, C. J.C. J. Hayes Freshman F 5' 8" (1.73 m) 163 lb (74 kg) 1995-02-07 Margate, Florida Fargo (USHL) —
15 Ontario Hand, JakeJake Hand Freshman F 6' 3" (1.91 m) 203 lb (92 kg) 1994-08-30 Milton, Ontario Chilliwack (BCHL) —
16 Wisconsin Hults, MitchMitch Hults Freshman F 6' 2" (1.88 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1994-11-13 Stoughton, Wisconsin Madison (USHL) —
17 Minnesota Loesch, ZachZach Loesch Senior D 6' 5" (1.96 m) 206 lb (93 kg) 1992-08-10 White Bear Lake, Minnesota Pembroke (CCHL) —
18 Michigan Globke, AlexAlex Globke Junior F 6' 3" (1.91 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1993-12-10 Waterford, Michigan Carleton Place (CCHL) —
19 Ontario Vernace, DanielDaniel Vernace Senior F 6' 1" (1.85 m) 191 lb (87 kg) 1991-11-07 Toronto, Ontario Trenton (OJHL) —
20 Florida Drapluk, EricEric Drapluk (A) Senior D 6' 1" (1.85 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1992-06-11 Pembroke Pines, Florida Coulee Region (NAHL) —
21 North Dakota Schmitt, BryceBryce Schmitt (A) Senior F 6' 0" (1.83 m) 192 lb (87 kg) 1991-10-24 Minot, North Dakota Bismarck (NAHL) —
22 Ontario Wright, AidanAidan Wright Sophomore D 5' 11" (1.8 m) 184 lb (83 kg) 1993-02-15 Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Powell River (BCHL) —
23 Ontario McKay, BrendanBrendan McKay Freshman (RS) F 6' 3" (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1994-11-06 Toronto, Ontario Weyburn (SJHL) —
25 Quebec Nellis, AnthonyAnthony Nellis Freshman F 5' 11" (1.8 m) 178 lb (81 kg) 1994-09-10 Breakeyville, Quebec Pembroke (CCHL) —
26 Ohio Nenadal, JoshJosh Nenadal Freshman F 5' 8" (1.73 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1994-05-14 Brecksville, Ohio Youngstown (USHL) —
27 Pennsylvania Angus, JaysonJayson Angus Junior F 5' 8" (1.73 m) 157 lb (71 kg) 1992-06-28 Latrobe, Pennsylvania Fairbanks (NAHL) —
28 Ontario Headrick, OwenOwen Headrick Freshman D 5' 11" (1.8 m) 186 lb (84 kg) 1997-08-23 Garden River, Ontario Soo Thunderbirds (NOJHL) —
29 Minnesota Torrel, GageGage Torrel Freshman F 5' 9" (1.75 m) 178 lb (81 kg) 1994-06-22 Monticello, Minnesota Langley (BCHL) —
30 Iowa Kossoff, NickNick Kossoff Freshman G 6' 2" (1.88 m) 183 lb (83 kg) 1996-06-25 West Des Moines, Iowa Keystone (NAHL) —
31 Minnesota Defiel, GordonGordon Defiel Sophomore G 6' 0" (1.83 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1993-01-27 Stillwater Coquitlam (BCHL) —

Notable alumni

Over 180 LSSU alumni have gone on to play professionally, including a number of current and former NHL players:[22] Two Lakers have played 1,000 games in the NHL (Brian Rolston & Doug Weight), while four Lakers players have had their name engraved on the Stanley Cup, including Rolston and Jim Dowd with the New Jersey Devils in 1995, John Grahame with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004, and Weight with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 "Ice Hockey - Lake Superior State University Lakers". Lake Superior State University. 2010. Retrieved November 28, 2010.
  2. ↑ "How the Lakers Started". Sault Ste. Marie Convention & Visitors Bureau. 2010. Retrieved November 28, 2010.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Lake Superior Men's Hockey Team History". U.S. College Hockey Online. 1996–2010. Retrieved November 28, 2010.
  4. ↑ "Moments In CCHA History". CCHA. 2009. Retrieved November 9, 2010.
  5. 1 2 "Frank Anzalone Profile". Inside College Hockey. 2010. Retrieved November 28, 2010.
  6. 1 2 "1985 NCAA Tournament". Inside College Hockey. 2004. Retrieved November 28, 2010.
  7. ↑ "1989 NCAA Tournament". Inside College Hockey. 2004. Retrieved November 28, 2010.
  8. ↑ "1990 NCAA Tournament". Inside College Hockey. 2004. Retrieved November 28, 2010.
  9. ↑ Scott, Jon C. (2006). Hockey Night in Dixie: Minor Pro Hockey in the American South. Heritage House Publishing Company Ltd. p. 23. ISBN 1-894974-21-2.
  10. ↑ "1991 NCAA Tournament". Inside College Hockey. 2004. Retrieved November 28, 2010.
  11. ↑ "1992 NCAA Tournament". Inside College Hockey. 2004. Retrieved November 28, 2010.
  12. ↑ "1993 NCAA Tournament". Inside College Hockey. 2004. Retrieved November 28, 2010.
  13. 1 2 "1994 NCAA Tournament". Inside College Hockey. 2004. Retrieved November 28, 2010.
  14. ↑ Wodon, Adam (December 1, 1997). "A Team Of Their Own". College Hockey News. Retrieved November 28, 2010.
  15. 1 2 Staff (March 4, 2010). "Lake Superior State Arena, Facilities to Get Overhaul by 2012". College Hockey News. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  16. ↑ "Big Ten Officially Announces Hockey Conference". College Hockey News. Retrieved 2011-07-12.
  17. ↑ Staff. "Collegiate Hockey Conference Joint Statement". North Dakota Fighting Sioux. Retrieved 2011-07-12.
  18. ↑ Staff (July 20, 2011). "Northern Michigan granted full approval to join WCHA in 2013". U.S. College Hockey Online. Retrieved July 20, 2011.
  19. ↑ Staff (August 23, 2011). "WCHA and CCHA schools meet Tuesday in Chicago". U.S. College Hockey Online. Retrieved August 27, 2011.
  20. ↑ Staff (August 26, 2011). "Five CCHA schools offered spots in WCHA; Alaska, Lake Superior State quick to accept". U.S. College Hockey Online. Retrieved August 27, 2011.
  21. ↑ "2015–16 LSSU Hockey Roster". Lake Superior State Athletics. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  22. ↑ "Alumni Report". Internet Hockey Database. 2008. Retrieved November 27, 2010.

External links

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