Lakers will host Western Michigan in CCHA playoffs

The Central Collegiate Hockey Association's fuzzy playoff picture finally came into focus after Saturday's final night of regular-season action.

Coming off its 2-2 tie with second-place Michigan State, Lake Superior State finished sixth in the regular-season standings and earned home ice for the first round of the playoffs since the 1999-00 season.

The Lakers (15-12-7 overall, 11-12-5 CCHA) will play host to Western Michigan in a best-of-three series beginning Friday at Taffy Abel Ice Arena. The starting time for Friday's game is still pending, but will be either 7:05 p.m. or 7:35 p.m. Saturday's contest and Sunday's if-necessary game will begin at 7:05 p.m.

Miami, Michigan State, Michigan and Northern Michigan finished first through fourth, respectively, and will receive first-round byes.

In other first-round action, it will be Bowling Green at Nebraska-Omaha, Ohio State at Ferris State, and Alaska Fairbanks and Notre Dame.

Tickets for this weekend's series at LSSU are $10 for adults, $3 for LSSU students and $5.50 for all children age 17 and under. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. Monday at the Norris Center Ticket Office.

All season-ticket holders and LSSU students with the athletics pass must purchase tickets. Season-ticket holders' seats will be held through Thursday.

*** SATURDAY:

The Lake Superior State hockey team skated to a 2-2 deadlock with the Michigan State Spartans at Joe Louis Arena on Saturday afternoon despite the Spartans outshooting the Lakers 47-17. The tie ended a six year losing streak for the Lakers when playing teams at Joe Louis Arena.

LSSU earned the first goal of the game when Trent Campbell scored his second goal of the weekend at 9:11 of the first period. Campbell scored on the power play giving the Lakers' their first lead of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association series. Freshman forward Troy Schwab started the scoring chance by making a pass to senior Nathan Ward, who wristed a shot from the right side of the net. The puck found Campbell, who quickly deflected it into the net.

The Lakers (15-12-7, 11-12-5 CCHA) and Spartans (20-10-8, 14-7-7 CCHA) skated to a second period deadlock.

Colton Fretter ended the Lakers' lead at 3:19 of the third period when he tied the game at one goal a piece on assists by Chris Snavely and Daniel Vukovic.

Spartan Drew Miller scored his thirteenth goal of the year when he gave MSU a 2-1 lead at 12:29 of the third period. Tyler Howells and Snavely assisted on the goal.

Laker Dan Eves silenced the MSU fans eight seconds later when he scored off the face-off won by Jeff Rainville. Eves' even-strength goal was his seventh of the year.

The Lakers were 1-5 on the power play and the Spartans were 1-4.

Jeff Jakaitis earned first star of the game honors for his 45 saves, and Eves earned third star honors for his game-tying goal.

(Submitted by the LSSU Sports Information Department)