LSSU Sweeps Nationally Ranked Ferris State

Photos and Story by K. Johnston/Eagle Feature & Image

Coming off a great weekend against Miami of Ohio the last thing the nationally ranked Ferris State Bulldogs (20) ice hockey team expected was to get shutout by the Lake Superior State Lakers and their freshman goalie Kevin Kapalka. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs not only did they get shut out once but twice as the Lakers defense held them scoreless for the weekend to pick up their second home ice sweep of the season.



LSSU's Nick McParland

 Kapalka earned his first shutout as a Laker Friday night at Taffy Abel arena by fending off thirty Ferris shots while LSSU sophomore Nick McParland tallied the games only score when he beat Ferris starting net minder Pat Nagle on the first of the Lakers two second period power play opportunities. The goal was the only shot of the 33 Nagle faced that he missed picking up his third loss of the season.

After losing 1-0 Friday night Ferris came out in the opening period of Saturdays game looking like they were there on a mission out shooting the Lakers 11 to 4 and for the most part keeping LSSU out of the offensive zone.

The Lakers turn came in the second as the pace and physical level of the game jumped to new level. The Lakers took advantage of every opportunity as freshman Kellan Lain, sophomore Domenic Monardo and junior Fred Cassiani all found the inside of the Bulldog net within the first five minutes of the period. Monardo picked up his second goal of the night, and the Lakers individual points lead, when he found himself in possession of the puck just past the halfway mark of the period which he promptly put past Nagle for the final score of the night closing out the LSSU 4-0 victory and the sweep.

LSSU's Fred Cassiani celebrates after scoring
in the second period of the Lakers Saturday game
against Ferris State.

“After the first I just thought our forwards weren’t doing good enough up the ice. I thought they were sitting back to much.” said Laker coach Jim Roque. “In the second we kinda got it going a little.”

LSSU goaltender Kevin Kapalka gets set to
handle a shot from Ferris States Jordie Johnston.

Laker net minder Kevin Kapalka faced 33 shots Saturday while Ferris’ Pat Nagle faced 16 through two periods before being replaced at the start of the third by Taylor Nelson who racked up 5 saves in his 20 minute appearance. The pair of shut outs gives Kapalka a fifth place overall goaltender ranking among all CCHA goalies and a first place ranking in conference play.

“Give Lake State (LSSU) a lot of credit” Ferris State head coach Bob Daniels said in Saturday’s post game interviews. “I thought they played very well. They were very responsible in their own end.” “Their kid in net was solid, he gobbled up pucks, he didn’t leave a lot of pucks laying around.”

The both LSSU and Ferris will face CCHA opponents again next weekend as the Lakers travel to Ann Arbor to take on Michigan while the Bulldogs will be hosting Western.