"The Lake Show" - LSSU Laker Hockey

[3dognight]

Re: "The Lake Show" - LSSU Laker Hockey

I can find plenty to agree with Anchor on this subject......

CCHA is loaded with quality goaltending, some times 2 deep. I also agree that it is a cornerstone for success. I would be very happy for the Lakers to be solid 2 deep in this position. No matter where it ranks in anyones "least of the problem category" it is something we can have an immediate impact on, providing resources to BMW & the Lakers new recruits, prior to the larger project being done.

I would like to see guys move on to the AHL level, with a shot at the big show....many solid goalies will not, but that is a standard that will excite recruits, and make for some solid hockey. Steve is Jeff Lergs goalie coach, a great college player who had his AHL run derailed by injuries this year. If we can get close to that quality and consistently in Laker tenders it could mean 2-3 additional wins a year. A nice start.

[Bill]

Re: "The Lake Show" - LSSU Laker Hockey

BMW had a relatively solid season but has room for improvement. He made some terrific saves this past season, but is not yet at the level where he is stealing games for the Lakers. It was hard to tell from listening to Paul Van Waggoner's call of the games if BMW gave up as many soft goals this season compared to last. Paul wasn't as candid as Bill C, probably because it was his first season doing Lakers hockey. I'm inclined to think BMW improved from last season in that respect. From the half dozen or so games I actually saw this season, either live or on TV, BMW's main weakness appears to be rebounds. He gives up too many juicy ones. He has to learn to do a better job of either hanging on to rebounds or steering them to the corners. Hopefully the pre-season goalie clinic will help him improve that part of his game.

[Mogerfan]

Re: "The Lake Show" - LSSU Laker Hockey

As i have only been here for 3 years i am hardly the utmost authority for the master list but i agree with the players you selected from my era, although i would move around the order of the some of the players you listed, i would list kaunisto on the first defensive pairing...neither he nor gysbers are what i would call shutdown d-men but i would take kaunisto over gysbers for the simple fact that kaunisto had the catch-up speed to correct mistakes when he was beaten..I would also put Schofield as the first center over Schwab and put Schwab as the 3rd best center behind Cassiani..Schofield is the most talented player i have seen hands down since i have been here (including Perky) and I would go so far as to say that he would be the safest bet to someday to put on an NHL sweater... Freddie had a great freshmen year and I think he would have put up more points last year if his linemates would have been more consistent lineup wise, his wingers were constantly being juggled around leaving him hardpressed to develop any chemistry..Schwab was a decent center but wasn't as hard a worker or as naturally talented as Freddie... Concerning the next decade's all decade team I would consider it a succesful coming decade if Schofield, Power, Trotman and BMW were the only current players to make the list..we have been making small yet significant gains in recruiting and if we start picking up more Colin Campbell type recruits I see a few trips to the Joe and an NCAA trip or two in the Lakers new decade future...

Thanks for the comments. Interesting that you would put Schwab 3rd. Like I said, I see very few games these days and went in large part by points. I only saw the Notre Dame series live this year, and Schoefield was tossed early in game 2, so I only saw him once this year.

Schwab was such an exciting player as a freshman, but seemed to plateau as a sophomore and never seemed to quite reach his potential. Still, a 100+ point career has to be considered a success.

I don't think I ever saw Davis play. I wasn't back in the midwest yet at that point. Still he put up decent numbers on awfuls teams, so he must have been pretty good.

Trent Campbell would have had 1,000 assists if anyone he played with had any scoring instincts what-so-ever.

Bill, I was in the Soo this week, but I forgot my passport, so I didn't make the DH Cup. Good to see Kellen Lain be named the tourney MVP! He must have played a well rounded game, b/c he didn't really seem to put up a ton of points during the week.

[Bill]

Re: "The Lake Show" - LSSU Laker Hockey

Bill, I was in the Soo this week, but I forgot my passport, so I didn't make the DH Cup. Good to see Kellen Lain be named the tourney MVP! He must have played a well rounded game, b/c he didn't really seem to put up a ton of points during the week.

Most of the DH Cup games seemed to be low scoring. Lain (and Oakville) will now be playing in the RBC Cup next week in Dauphin, Manitoba for all the marbles (Canadian Junior A Championship).

[Mogerfan]

Re: "The Lake Show" - LSSU Laker Hockey

Most of the DH Cup games seemed to be low scoring. Lain (and Oakville) will now be playing in the RBC Cup next week in Dauphin, Manitoba for all the marbles (Canadian Junior A Championship).

After missing so much hockey this past fall, it is a real positive that Lain's team is making a deep playoff run this spring. Hopefully he will be back to 100% by September.

[Mogerfan]

Re: "The Lake Show" - LSSU Laker Hockey

At least somebody made it over to see Kellan Lain:

From EUPnews.com

http://eupnews.com/2010/04/local-sports-shorts-2/

"I had the chance to check out the Dudley Hewitt Cup Final over the weekend at the Essar Centre and check out LSSU hockey recruit Kellan Lain. Having seeing him the first time, I was impressed with his hockey smarts, his size and puck presence. He missed almost a year due to a horrific injury from the blade of a skate and any playing time he gets will be very beneficial. His team won 2-1 and advance to the Canadian Provincial Championships this weekend. Having seen him only once I was very impressed and he will fit in nicely for Coach Roque and the hockey lakers."

[SmartAxe]

Re: "The Lake Show" - LSSU Laker Hockey

After missing so much hockey this past fall, it is a real positive that Lain's team is making a deep playoff run this spring. Hopefully he will be back to 100% by September.

I couldn't agree more. It's nice to see that he was voted MVP of the DH tourney and the added vote of confidence in the EUPNews write up.

But refresh my memory.. Didn't Roque say during one of the early Laker Hockey shows, that Lain was really "raw" and needed a lot of work before he'd be an impact player for the Lakers? I'm pretty sure it was Lain that he was talking about because it struck me funny when I heard it. Things we've had posted on this board in the past gave me the impression of him as being a highly touted recruit up to that point, and then the coach says he's really "raw". That set me back a bit when he said it..
Hopefully the extra playing time will do him some good because of all the time he missed due to injury.


Any news on MacVoy's prospects for playing professionally? I figured he would have some offers after the season ended. Maybe he did and I just missed seeing anything about it?

[Bill]

Re: "The Lake Show" - LSSU Laker Hockey

But refresh my memory.. Didn't Roque say during one of the early Laker Hockey shows, that Lain was really "raw" and needed a lot of work before he'd be an impact player for the Lakers? I'm pretty sure it was Lain that he was talking about because it struck me funny when I heard it. Things we've had posted on this board in the past gave me the impression of him as being a highly touted recruit up to that point, and then the coach says he's really "raw". That set me back a bit when he said it..
Hopefully the extra playing time will do him some good because of all the time he missed due to injury.

I don't remember if it was Lain he was talking about; it might have been. Then again I may have missed that show. I do remember something similar being said about Jean, but I think that was earlier last year.

I don't necessarily think that Lain is a highly touted recruit. His numbers were decent, but not great. But prior to this past season, it is my understanding that the Oakville coach didn't have Lain playing on Oakville's top line and that would have kept his numbers down somewhat. I'm not sure what line he was on when he finally started playing again this season. He's a big kid, maybe even a little bigger than Perkovich.

[AnchorsAway]

Re: "The Lake Show" - LSSU Laker Hockey

I've talked to Macvoy a few times isnce the season ended and it doesn't sound like he has had any real offers to speak of...I would hate to think that some of the immaturity issues he had at Michigan would have something to do with it and I don't think it does...Zac has been nothing but a stand up guy since he's been here...maybe it's a reflection that not many scouts are watching lake state's games...He's not a blue chip prospect by any means but other than Schofield, of any player on this past year's team who has a legitimate shot physically or skill wise i would say Zac has the best chance of aking a go of it in pro hockey.

[sm2pk]

Re: "The Lake Show" - LSSU Laker Hockey

Didn't MacVoy have a bad senior year compared to his junior year ? I thought I heard he had the worse + /- rating on the team but could be wrong there.

[3dognight]

Re: "The Lake Show" - LSSU Laker Hockey

MacVoy was -24 at one point late in the season, after a very strong Jr season.
That said, in the right system he could play a role somewhere at the "E" level, as a new starting point.

[Neil Diamond]

Re: "The Lake Show" - LSSU Laker Hockey

Lakers tap into Traverse City pipeline

By PETER PIETRANGELO/sports@sooeveningnews.com

TRAVERSE CITY — Call it Lake Superior State's feeder program.

The Traverse City North Stars of the NAHL, who recently advanced to next week's Robertson Cup, the league's championship tournament in Wenatchee, Wash., have four future Lakers on the team, two of which will be suiting up for the Lakers next year.

Dan Radke and Kyle Jean will be playing for the Lakers next season, while Kellin Ainsworth is slated to join the Lakers for the 2011-12 season. Goalie Tyler Marble has also committed to LSSU, though he is still "two or three years away" from joining the Lakers, TC coach/general manager Anthony Palumbo said.

The North Stars swept the Marquette Rangers in the first round of the playoffs and then swept the Motor City Metal Jackets in the North Division finals.

"Dan and Kyle are a huge part of our team and our success," said Palumbo, who played for the Lakers from 1985-89 and was a teammate of LSSU coach Jim Roque. "Those two guys provide us with high-end talent, and they are two of the high-end players in our end. They bring offense, but they're also elite penalty killers."

Jean, a Sault native, was scheduled to join the Lakers this season, but he had offseason shoulder surgery and joined the North Stats two months into the season. He also missed six weeks recovering from mono. In 40 games this season, the 6-foot-3, 205-pound forward has 17 goals and 14 assists.
"Kyle's going to be a big presence," Palumbo said about Jean. "He skates very well, he's got great ability on the puck, as good as any big man in our league. And that's going to get better as he trains at the college level. His potential in unlimited."

Palumbo said Jean's staying for an extra season helped him become better-prepared mentally for the college game.

"It may help from the standpoint of maturity," Palumbo said. "He's gone through a lot of adversity, and now he's playing his best hockey of the year."
Radke, a former Soo Indian who Roque has compared to former three-year captain Troy Schwab, was third on the team with 47 points in the regular season. He had 21 goals and 26 assists and has added four goals in the playoffs.

"Dan is one of the smartest players I've ever coached," Palumbo said. "He quarterbacks the power play, and he sees the ice better than any player we have."

Ainsworth, a scrappy forward who had 30 points (9-21) in 49 games, is a year away from being able to handle the physicality of the CCHA.
"Kellin is a kid that brings an edge to the game," Palumbo said. "He's one of those kids who you don't like to play against but you love to have on your team.

"He needs to continue to work on his strength. One more year and he should be more ready."

Palumbo still tries to make it to as many Laker games as possible when the North Stars aren't playing and tries to catch the Lakers on TV whenever he can.

"It's an honor to help my alma mater," Palumbo said. "I want to help any way I can, and if that means coaching players for Coach Roque and his team, I'm happy to do that. I hope they can go and make a big impact."

The North Stars may have four future Lakers on the team, but the real stars of the Lakers' recruiting class played for the Vaughan Vipers on the Ontario Junior A Hockey League. Forward Colin Campbell was ninth in the league in scoring with 76 points on 32 goals and 44 assists, and goalie Kevin Kapalka was second in the league with a .923 save percentage. He was 22-14-7 with a 2.84 GAA.

The pair played in the OJAHL Sr. All-Star Game, with Kapalka picking up the win.

The Lakers also signed goalie Niels-Erik Ravn from the Ottawa Jr. Senators of the Central Jr. Hockey League. A native of Aix-En Provence in France, Ravn had a 2.74 GAA and a .910 save percentage in 43 games in the regular season. His 1,329 saves were second in the CJHL.

The Lakers will also bring in two defensemen next year. Andrew Perrault was the seventh-highest scoring defenseman in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League with six goals and 30 assists. He also had 105 penalty minutes and was the October Player of the Month for the league. Zach Sternberg of the Central Junior Hockey League's Nepean Raiders was the seventh-highest-scoring defenseman in the leage with four goals and 38 points.

[glazewsr]

Re: "The Lake Show" - LSSU Laker Hockey

Hey LSSU "insiders":
I plan to take in a Laker game this coming year - probably very early (maybe the first weekend when you typically play a Canadian team). I'd greatly appreciate a schedule of all home games with start times when you have something.
I've driven up to the UP for games at Northern and Tech in past years. I keep seeing those little motels (that you can't find on any web-site other than a yellow pages entry). I'm dying to try one. Any suggestions of a clean and quiet place? Other things to see/do while up there (again, probably the first weekend of October)?
Any help/insight appreciated!

[soofan]

Re: "The Lake Show" - LSSU Laker Hockey

[B][CENTER]The Lakers also signed goalie Niels-Erik Ravn from the Ottawa Jr. Senators of the Central Jr. Hockey League. A native of Aix-En Provence in France, Ravn had a 2.74 GAA and a .910 save percentage in 43 games in the regular season. His 1,329 saves were second in the CJHL.

.920 I think.

[Laker Dude]

Re: "The Lake Show" - LSSU Laker Hockey

Hey LSSU "insiders":
I plan to take in a Laker game this coming year - probably very early (maybe the first weekend when you typically play a Canadian team). I'd greatly appreciate a schedule of all home games with start times when you have something.
I've driven up to the UP for games at Northern and Tech in past years. I keep seeing those little motels (that you can't find on any web-site other than a yellow pages entry). I'm dying to try one. Any suggestions of a clean and quiet place? Other things to see/do while up there (again, probably the first weekend of October)?
Any help/insight appreciated!

I do not think that the full schedule has been released yet.

The Lakers do play at home against Minnesota Duluth on Friday October 8th, and at home against Michigan Tech on Saturday October 9th. Both games will probably be at 7:05.