Lakers head to Notre Dame for CCHA Second-Round Playoffs
SAULT STE. MARIE , Mich. – Lake Superior State will play the second round of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association Playoffs against its first CCHA opponent of the 2010-11 season – eighth-ranked Notre Dame.
LSSU (12-15-9) plays Notre Dame (21-10-5) at 7:35 p.m. Friday and 7:05 p.m. Saturday at the sold-out Joyce Center in South Bend, Ind. Sunday’s if-necessary game will have a start time of 7:05 p.m.
The Lakers swept Ohio State 4-0 and 3-2 last weekend to advance to the second round, lost back-to-back 4-2 decisions at UND on Oct. 14-15. Senior forward Will Acton (9-14—23) had an outstanding weekend against the Irish with one goal and three assists. Sophomore defenseman Zach Trotman (6-13—19) had one goal and one assist. LSSU points leader, senior forward Rick Schofield (16-17—33) and sophomore forward Domenic Monardo (12-15—27) both netted one goal.
Acton (4-2—6) and Schofield (2-4—6) are LSSU’s career leaders in playoff points, while senior defenseman Matt Cowie (2-3—5) is third. Schofield joined Troy Schwab in becoming the second Laker in the past decade to hit the 100-point mark career scoring milestone. He scored an empty-net goal against OSU Friday for his 100th point and now has 50-52—102. He is also the first Laker since Joe Blaznek to score 50 career goals. Blaznek totaled 57-54—111 from 1994-98.
The Irish head into the quarterfinals off a 2-0 regular-season ending home loss to Western Michigan on Feb. 26. That setback ended an eight-game unbeaten streak and awarded the CCHA regular-season title to Michigan.
Notre Dame freshman forward T.J. Tynan (19-27—46) leads the Irish in points, while freshman forward Anders Lee follows with 21-19—40. Tynan netted one goal against the Lakers during the October series, while Lee had 1-1—2 for the Irish. They both earned CCHA All-Rookie Team honors along with LSSU goaltender Kevin Kapalka.
Kapalka recorded a career-high 48 saves during game one of the CCHA First Round Playoffs against Ohio State and stopped 76 of 78 shots for the series. He played a total of 102:59 scoreless minutes during two OSU games, which included his fourth shutout of the season. He compiled the most consecutive scoreless minutes by a Laker goaltender in the playoffs since Blaine Lacher strung together three straight shutouts during the 1994 playoffs
Kapalka is ranked second in the CCHA and seventh nationally in overall in save percentage (.926). He is 15th nationally and sixth in the CCHA in goals-against average (2.25).
The Last time LSSU advanced to the CCHA Quarterfinals, the Lakers swept Miami in Oxford, Ohio. LSSU continued its playoff run at Joe Louis Arena and lost 3-0 to Notre Dame.
Schofield is LSSU's nominee for the CCHA Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
