Three Lakers Receive WCHA Player of the Month Honors

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – Ashton Calder, Will Riedell and Mareks Mitens have each been named the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) Players of the Month, as announced by conference officials on Thursday, December 3. Calder has been named WCHA Forward of the Month, Riedell has been named WCHA Defenseman of the Month and Mitens has been named WCHA Goaltender of the Month.

In the month of November, the Lakers went 3-0-1 with games being played against Michigan Tech and Adrian College. 

Forward of the Month: Ashton Calder

Lake Superior State’s Ashton Calder led all WCHA players in points during the month of November with five points in four games. In the month of November, Calder ranked second among WCHA players in goals with three. The junior forward was tied for first among all NCAA players in game winning goals with two as he has scored the game winner for the Lakers in the team’s two most recent games. Calder, an alternate captain, is currently riding a three game point streak (3G, 2A) which includes two multi-point efforts. The only game Calder has yet to record a point in was a 0-0 tie against Michigan Tech on Nov. 21 but the junior did score the deciding goal in the overtime shootout to give the Lakers the advantage in that game. The Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. native led the team with a +5 rating in the month of November, which is also tied for first among all NCAA skaters. 

Defenseman of the Month: Will Riedell

Lake Superior State’s Will Riedell led all WCHA defensemen in points during the month of November with a goal and two assists for three points in four games. The senior was tied for second in points among NCAA defensemen. Among WCHA defensemen, Riedell was tied for first in both goals (1) and assists (2) while also ranking second in plus/minus (+4). The alternate captain finished the month tied for second among WCHA players in blocked shots with five. The Greensboro, N.C. native assisted on the game winning goal in the Lakers 4-1 win over Michigan Tech on Nov. 22 and recorded his first multi-point game of the season with a goal and an assist against Adrian College on Nov. 27. 

Goaltender of the Month: Mareks Mitens

Lake Superior State’s Mareks Mitens led the Lakers in goal during the month of November as he started all four games for LSSU, which ranked first in the WCHA and tied for third among all NCAA goalies. Mitens allowed five goals over the course of four games for the Lakers, posting a 2-0-1 record which included his sixth career shutout on Nov. 21 in a 0-0 tie against Michigan Tech. Among WCHA goaltenders in the month of November, the senior netminder ranked first in minutes played (204:33), first in saves made (77), first in shots faced (82), first in wins (2), and tied for first in shutouts (1). The Ventspils, Latvia native finished the month in fourth place in goals against average (1.47) and tied for third place in save percentage (.939%) among all NCAA goaltenders who appeared in four or more games during the month of November. 

The Lakers will wrap up the non-conference portion of the season with a home series against the University of Alabama-Huntsville Chargers on Saturday, Dec. 5 at 5:07 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 6 at 3:07 p.m. at the Taffy Abel Arena in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.

Even though spectators cannot currently attend games in Michigan, there are still a number of ways that fans will be able to follow the game action. All Laker home games, and away games against WCHA opponents during the 2020-21 season will be available to watch live on FloHockey, the WCHA’s streaming partner. For more information or to sign up for a subscription, visit https:/www.flohockey.tv. Fans can also tune in to the radio broadcast on 99.5 Yes FM, the official radio station of Laker hockey.