Lakers on verge of playoff spot
First-year coach Damon Whitten and his Lake Superior State University Lakers are in position to land a Western Collegiate Hockey Association playoff spot.
The Lakers are home to the Ferris State University Bulldogs on Friday and Saturday needing just a win or tie to secure a bid to the WCHA playoffs on what is the final weekend of the regular season.
LSSU can also receive a playoff bid via a loss or tie by Alaska-Anchorage in either of its two games against this weekend.
The Lakers head into the weekend home set at Taffy Abel Arena with a WCHA record of 7-18-1.
Ferris State, on the other hand, has a mark of 11-14-1.
Of note, Lakers freshman goalie Gordon Defiel leads the nation in saves with 1,019. He is the only Division 1, National Collegiate Athletic Association goalie with at least 1,000 saves this season.
Meanwhile, Ferris State features sophomore forward Jared Van Wormer, who has 6 goals, 8 assists, 14 points this season.
As captain of the Soo Eagles, Van Wormer led the entire North American Hockey League in scoring during the 2012-2013 season — but somehow the previous Lakers coaching staff missed a top player in their own backyard.
Van Wormer’s 16 points this season are as many as Lakers senior forward Stephen Perfetto, who leads LSSU in scoring.
Randy – It seems to me the Lakers have missed numerous talents over the last few years on both sides of the border. Outside of Owen Headrick (Thunderbirds), Will Gauthier (Soo Eagles), are you aware of any other local kids LSSU is looking at or committed to.
I’m not a scout, but players I would hope are in the conversation are: Cade Nolan (Batchewana Attack), Adam Baggs (Attack), Pilon(s) (Attack), Mike Caruso (Soo Eagles) and Brett Jeffries (Thunderbirds) – Hopefully the LSSU scouting staff realizes the rich talent we have locally.
Chase Gamelin of the Eagles has also verbally committed to the Lakers.
Van Wormer would look real good in Laker Blue. How ever the new Laker Coach is also missing out on players from the Eagles who will go somewheres else and make the Lakers look stupid once again.
How many players of the eagles franchise have gone directly from the eagles to division one besides Tyler Marble a lake state recruit and Van Wormer to say they missed kids in there own back yard seems to be missing the mark
way to go Jarred! You shoulda been a Laker = no brainer.
LSSU Lakers could use Van Warmeer me thinks.
Every college team misses players close to their backyards not just LSSU. Its hard to get too serious about Soo Eagle players, the older ones anyways, when they can only lead the team to about a 11th or 12th place standing in the whole league. Their older kids dont appear to be D 1 players. Dont hear of alot of other D1 programs after them. Their 1996 DOB will turn out to be good players if coached right in my opinion.