Lakers trail Cappo Cup series by one goal heading into rematch at NMU

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – Lake Superior State will try to keep the Cappo Cup for a second straight year when it heads to Marquette for this weekend’s hockey series against Northern Michigan.

The Lakers outscored the Wildcats 12-9 in four games to win the cup last year. This season, LSSU is down one goal, 5-4, against the Wildcats after splitting a home series in early November.

LSSU and NMU play at 7:35 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Berry Events Center. Both games will be broadcast live on Yes FM 99.5. A live pay-per-view video feed will be available on America One.

The Lakers (7-12-7 overall, 5-9-6-4 Central Collegiate Hockey Association) sit in ninth place in the CCHA with 25 points, while NMU (11-13-4 overall, 9-9-2-0 CCHA) is seventh with 29.

During the Nov. 5-6 series at the Taffy Abel Arena, NMU defeated LSSU during game one of the series, 4-1. The Lakers came back the second night to win 3-1. Sophomore forward Domenic Monardo (10-13—23) led the Lakers with two goals and one assist against the Wildcats. Senior forward Rick Schofield (10-14—24) tallied one goal and one assist, while sophomore defender Zach Trotman (6-8—14) notched two assists.  

Junior forward’s Andrew Cherniwchan (6-11—17) and Justin Florek (10-10—20) led the Wildcats with one goal and two assists each. Junior forward Tyler Gron (12-13—25) leads NMU in points with 25. Gron tallied 1-1—2 against the Lakers.

Monardo is tied for sixth place in power-play points with 3-5—8 against league opponents. Sophomore forward Nick McParland is tied for sixth in game-winning goals against league opponents with two.

On the power-play Northern is ranked second against league opponents with at 19.0 percent. The Lakers are in ninth place on the power-play with a 13.5 percent. LSSU on the penalty-kill is in sixth place with 82.3 percent while Northern is in fifth place with an 83.3 percent against league opponents.

Freshman goaltender Kevin Kapalka (6-7-6-4) is third in the CCHA in save percentage (.926), seventh in goals-against average (2.16) and tied for eighth in winning percentage (.500) against league opponents.

Note: NMU will be hosting “Be The Match” for Bone Marrow Donor Registry to raise funds and awareness of the need for bone marrow donors. The event will take place 5-8:30 p.m. both Friday and Saturday in Vandament Arena. NMU Director of Athletics Ken Godfrey, who was diagnosed with leukemia, is hoping to help other cancer patients find a bone marrow match.