LSSU Gets National Poll Vote as They Prepare for U of M

LSSU goaltender Brian Mahoney-Wilson concentrates on a rolling puck during the third period of the Lakers win over the OSU Buckeyes. (Eagle FI - FILE PHOTO)

Six games into their season and preparing to face the Michigan Wolverines this weekend the Lakers, at 4-2-0 overall, find themselves atop the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) standings and maybe starting to get a little bit of national notice. LSSU received one vote in the latest USCHO.com/CBS College Sports Division I Men's Poll which now ranks four CCHA teams in the top 20 in the nation including the visiting Wolverines at #5.

Lining up the Lakers and Wolverines on paper it’s hard to give either team a clear edge. Based on poll rankings Michigan has had the tougher of the two schedules but LSSU holds a small edge in points scored per game and an advantage in power play conversions. The conversion advantage could become a factor since the Wolverines have been averaging over seventeen minutes in penalties per game compared to the Lakers nine.

The Wolverines, in what will be their first conference game, will roll into Taffy Abel Arena Friday coming off a tough loss to #4 ranked Boston University. This could make the job of proving preseason forecasters wrong about the Lakers potential that much harder. A LSSU win this weekend might make it difficult for poll voters not to include the Lakers in the national top twenty conversations.