Lakers score five unanswered goals to come back at Vermont
BURLINGTON, Vt. - No. 16 Lake Superior State, notorious for slow starts in two-game hockey series this season, tallied five unanswered goals to bounce back from a 2-0 deficit and beat Vermont 5-3 Thursday during the opening round of the Catamount Cup.
The Lakers (12-7-2) ended a six-game winless streak in series-opening games and improved their impressive road record to 6-3-2. They take on RIT at 4:05 p.m. Friday during the second round of the Catamount Cup. RIT upset Ferris State 3-0 Thursday afternoon.
Colin Markison and Kyle Reynolds scored during the first period to give Vermont (3-13-1) the early lead. LSSU's Kellan Lain (4-3--7) cut the deficit in half with a goal at 7:33 of the second period. Colin Campbell (4-9--13) and Kevin Czuczman (2-5--7) drew the assists.
Senior defenseman Kyle Haines (3-11--14) tied the score at 2-2 less than two minutes later on an even-strength goal assisted by Fred Cassiani (3-9--12) and Domenic Monardo (8-12--20).
Campbell and Haines assisted on LSSU's goal-ahead power-play goal scored by Cassiani at 17:45 of the second period.
LSSU's 3-2 lead held until moments after Vermont called a timeout late in the third period. Nick McParland (9-6--15) gave the Lakers a 4-2 cushion with an empty-net goal at 18:02, and Kyle Jean (10-5--15) added another empty-netter at 18:31. Monardo and Czuczman assisted on McParland's goal.
Vermont's Drew MacKenzie tallied a power-play goal at 19:29. Both teams were 1-for-4 on the power play for the night. All of LSSU's man-advantage opportunities occurred during the second period.
LSSU goaltender Kevin Kapalka finished with 25 saves, while Vermont goaltender Rob Madore totaled 28 saves.
