Laker Hockey’s Opening Series Ends in a Split after a 3-0 Loss to No. 17 Nebraska Omaha

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – The Lake Superior State hockey team fell to the No. 17 Nebraska Omaha Mavericks by a final score of 3-0 in the second game of a non-conference weekend series in the Baxter Arena in Omaha, Neb. on Sunday, Oct. 3. With a series split against the Mavericks, the Lakers record sits at 1-1-0 following the first weekend of the season.

In the first period, special teams controlled much of the game’s play as the Lakers had four power plays while Omaha was on the man advantage twice. However, neither team was able to capitalize and the opening twenty minutes of play remained scoreless. 

With exactly eight minutes left in the second period, the Mavericks scored the game’s first goal as Matt Miller deflected a shot past Laker goaltender Ethan Langenegger to take a 1-0 lead. Shortly after the opening goal, the Lakers came close to tying the game as sophomore forward Harrison Roy was stopped on a breakaway by Omaha goaltender Isaiah Savillle. 

The Mavericks doubled their lead within the opening three minutes of the third period when Taylor Ward scored a power play goal. Ward took a shot from the right of Langenegger, and the puck entered the net just under the crossbar to extend the lead to 2-0. 

Later in the third period, the Lakers were called for a hooking penalty that resulted in a penalty shot for the Mavericks. The Omaha skater shot the puck wide of Langenegger’s net, and the score remained 2-0 with just over 11 minutes left to play. 

In the closing minutes of regulation, the Lakers pulled Langenegger in favor of the extra attacker but the Mavericks took advantage of the empty net and Martin Sundberg scored Omaha’s third goal of the game at 18:21 of the third period to seal the win.

Langenegger finished the game with 26 saves on the 28 shots he faced in his season debut. Saville stopped all 24 shots on goal by the Lakers in the game to earn the shutout victory. 

The Lakers will be on the road again next weekend as the team travels to Ann Arbor, Mich. to take on the University of Michigan Wolverines at Yost Arena. The two-game non-conference series will open at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 8 and conclude on Saturday, Oct. 9 with a 7:00 p.m. puck drop. The game will be available to stream on BigTenPlus.com. Fans can tune in to listen to Bill Crawford and Matt Pocket on the radio call on 99.5 YES FM.