The Laker Conundrum 

Lake Superior State split their series against Bemidji State, losing the first game 7-1, and winning the second 6-1.  

This is not surprising if you’ve been following the Lakers this season. 

The team is the conference leader in scoring with 60 goals, 40 in conference play, with the addition of nine 4+ goal games. They lead in some offensive categories including goals, points per game, and shot percentage recording more shots and powerplay goals than CCHA opponents. 

Senior Jared Westcott continues to shine in the blue and gold, now with 23 points in 12 goals and 11 assists. He leads the CCHA in scoring and places 15th in points scored and third in goals in the NCAA. 

That explains how they scored six, but how did they give up seven? Let’s look at their defensive statistics. 

• Outscored in conference 41-40 giving up four more goals than any team has scored in total 
• On average teams are taking 4 more shots a game against the Lakers than they are against other teams in the association 
• Lower penalty-kill percentage than opponents and have allowed six powerplay and two shorthanded goals 
• 45 more penalty minutes than opponents 
• Despite having the highest number of saves, they are fifth in save percentage and under 90% 
• Averaging six fewer blocks per game than the league leader, but only .05 more blocks per game over last place 

• Faceoff percentage is the worst in the league at only 45%. 

With the offense and defense combined, the outcome is a 5-6-1 record with 4/6 losses to lower-ranked teams. They have dropped from what was third place in week three to their current seventh place ahead of only Ferris State. They play one game this week, away against Ferris State at 5:07 on the 16th in Big Rapids, MI.  

Youth takes three of four weekly awards 

All college hockey coaches look for youth in their programs, providing experienced players for later years when current upperclassmen leave for higher hockey and/or graduation. Many freshmen and sophomores see little or no playing time, with upperclassmen not only dominating the time played but also scoring and goaltending. 

This week, we see three underclassmen winning CCHA weekly awards. 

The Rookie of the Week award is given to a first-year player (nearly always a freshman) who has contributed to their team’s success even without the experience some other players retain. This is the second week of the year that John Herrington has won the award. Lake Superior State’s freshman forward scored the only goal in a 7-1 loss, and two assists in a 6-1 win. He has 12 points on the year with five goals and seven assists. 

Goaltender of the Week is generally dominated by upperclassmen as the experience a goalie has is key to his day-to-day performance. Cole Moore is only the second freshman goalie to win the award this year with his two wins, 73 saves, three goals allowed, and shutout against Ferris State. Moore has started all 10 of Bowling Green’s conference games, now with a 5-5 record and a .917 save percentage good for third in the CCHA. 

Travis Shoudy is yet another underclassman winning a weekly award. With his one-goal and two-assist performance in the second game against Bowling Green, the sophomore earned his second Defenseman of the Week honor. His two assists take him to second in the league in that category and his one goal leads him into top-ten in points among all skaters. 

Hometown Heroes 

For only the second time in the 2023-24’ CCHA season, every home team won on the same night. On Friday the eighth Michigan Tech, Bowling Green, Minnesota State, and Bemidji State all gained three points in the conference. 

Michigan Tech completed a 4-2 win over Northern Michigan in Houghton, MI with an attendance of 3649. Bowling Green shut out Ferris State in the first win of a series sweep in Bowling Green, OH with an attendance of only 1836. Minnesota State had the highest attendance of the weekend with 4557 in Mankato, MN for a 3-1 win over the first-place St. Thomas Tommies. The lowest attendance on Friday was between Bemidji State and Lake Superior State in Bemidji, MN, a 7-1 win for the hometown Beavers in front of a crowd of 1687. 

Standings 

1. *St. Thomas (21) holds first place with a split against Minnesota State 
2. *Michigan Tech (19) continues to rise now in second place after split with in-state rivals, Northern Michigan 
3. Minnesota State (17) surges past Bemidji State after split with St. Thomas 
4. Bemidji State (16) drops to fourth in a high-scoring split against Lake Superior State 
5. Northern Michigan (15) splits with Michigan Tech and is tied for fifth  
6. Bowling Green (15)flies to fifth with sweep of Ferris State 
7. Lake Superior State (15) falls in split with Bemidji State and Bowling Green sweep
8. Ferris State (8) remains last amidst a sweep by Bowling Green

*Teams that received votes this week in the NCAA men’s hockey rankings-Michigan Tech (21 votes) St. Thomas (10 votes) 

Individual Accolades 

Forward of the Week: Carter Jones (BSU) 

Defenseman of the Week: Travis Shoudy (FSU) 

Goaltender of the Week: Cole Moore (BGSU) 

Rookie of the Week: John Herrington (LSSU) 

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