Lake Superior State’s most-successful season in six years came to an end Saturday with a 1-0 loss to Western Michigan in Game 2 of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association first-round playoffs.
WMU (10-22-6), which entered the series with one road victory and the No. 11 seed, swept the Lakers to improve to 2-4 against LSSU this season. The Broncos also won, 3-2, in overtime on Friday.
LSSU’s crowd of 1,580 was small but fiesty, and tried to rally the Lakers (15-14-7) back during a power play that started with 2:46 to go and when they pulled goaltender Jeff Jakaitis in favor of an extra attacker during the final 23 seconds of play.
Jakaitis, who totaled 26 saves for the game, did everything he could to help the Lakers get to an if-necessary game, including stopping breakaways by Broncos Brent Walton and Jeff Lovecchio.
Western Michigan’s Mike Erickson scored a 4-on-3 power-play goal to break the scoreless deadlock at 14:00 of the third period. Ryan Mahrle and Walton drew assists.
WMU goaltender Daniel Bellissimo totaled 31 saves as the Lakers outshot the Broncos for the second straight night, 31-27.
WMU finished 1-for-4 on the power play, while LSSU was 0-for-4.
