By LINDA BOUVET, LSSU Sports Information director

Sophomore goaltender Kevin Kapalka didn't look into a crystal ball when he started playing hockey, but today the Central Collegiate Hockey Association All-Rookie Team goaltender understands the value of the specialized coaching he received at a young age.

“The big thing you hear from goalies in Quebec is that they get goalie coaching when they are younger, and that's why they are so good,” said Kapalka, who is a Mississauga, Ontario, native. “When I was younger, goalie coaching was not a big deal. But one thing my parents did was give me as many opportunities as possible to be as good as I could be. They never pressured me to play hockey and were always supportive of what I did. They had a goalie coach come to practices, or they took me to goalie camps. They gave me a lot of tools to play better. I wasn't supposed to play Division I or in the NHL. They just wanted me to go out and play.”

Fast-forward to the 2010-11 season, and there's Kapalka, a freshman, being asked by coach Jim Roque to step in for injured senior starter Brian Mahoney-Wilson. Kapalka was thankful that he had a couple of wins under his belt before Mahoney-Wilson's season ended prematurely. Kapalka went on to finish 12-12-8, rank ninth nationally in save percentage and fifth on Lake Superior State's single-season saves list.

This season, he anchors a veteran LSSU defense that ranks 12th nationally in scoring defense, allowing only 2.39 goals per game. As of Dec. 5, his save percentage of .916 is a bit lower than last year's rate of .924 and his goals-against average is a bit higher (2.41 in 2011-12 vs. 2.34 in 2010-11), but his win percentage is also higher (.625 in 2011-12 vs. .500 in 2010-11).

LSSU goaltenders coach Terry Barbeau, whose impressive list of students includes Buffalo Sabres star Ryan Miller, isn't surprised by Kapalka's success after witnessing his work ethic last year.

“With Brian getting injured, he really took advantage of the opportunity,” Barbeau said. “But that's because he was really prepared. He is an extremely hard worker in practice. He is a position goalie, has good size, is fairly aggressive on the puck and has great recovery technique. He also has great balance and is a good skater. He's always one of the last guys off the ice in practice, and that's certainly a part of his success. He's got a good attitude, too. When he stepped in last year, it was a tough spot for a freshman to replace a senior. He went in without missing a beat.”

Few who saw the game against Michigan State last January will forget Kapalka's courage when he left the ice during the overtime shootout to have his shoulder popped back into place, returned and won 2-1 in four rounds. Kapalka fought a chronic shoulder problem throughout his rookie season.

“That was amazing how he came back to the ice,” Barbeau said. “I had never seen that before with a goalie and the guy comes back. That shows his commitment to the team. You have to admire a guy like that and respect him.”

“I knew I had to play with it,” Kapalka said. “I adjusted how I would play. Maybe I wasn't as aggressive with the stick. I understood my limitations and played within them. I noticed it more in practice than in games. In games, you don't really think about it.”

Kapalka said his shoulder is nearly 100 percent recovered. His strength is improving and he has full range of motion.

Kapalka has enjoyed several impressive showings this season with the highlight being his 27-save performance during the Lakers' 5-2 victory over No. 2 Notre Dame on Nov. 26. He doesn't have any shutouts this season (he had four in 2010-11), but has been a part of five one-goal victories.

“For me, I'd be happier if we were winning by three,” Kapalka said with a wriley smile. “But (the close games and sense of urgency) makes everyone that much better. That's the trend of college hockey. You're not going to see too many blowout games. They are usually pretty tight. I know the sophomores are used to it. We had a lot of close games last year.”

According to Kapalka, the Lakers' confidence level has kept pace with the Lakers' increased level of competition against quality opponents. LSSU is in the midst of an extremely challenging stretch that includes back-to-back series against top-10 opponents along with Upper Peninsula rival Northern Michigan, which has won three games in a row, including a home sweep against Miami.

Kapalka said the Lakers' obvious goal is to show more consistency in Friday night games, but they are pleased to “at least take something away from every weekend.”

Kapalka's supporting cast on defense is led by seniors Kyle Haines and Kyle Pobur, and junior Zach Trotman. Sophomore defenseman Andrew Perrault leads the Lakers in blocked shots, followed by sophomore defenseman Matt Bruneteau and Trotman. Junior Ben Power and sophomore Kyle Jean are LSSU's top shot blockers among the forwards.

“I've noticed more from Juniors to now that not only do defensemen block shots, but forwards come back and block shots, too,” Kapalka said. “We have a sense of urgency in our own end, and that does transfer over to the offensive zone. But some nights we're not able to capitalize. The puck will bounce off the post or off a stick, or the goalie will make a lucky save. It's frustrating, but we're creating chances.”

Sophomore goaltenders Kevin Murdock and Niels-Erik Ravn are also part of LSSU's 11-member sophomore class. Barbeau sees how hungry they are for playing time and is constantly amazed at LSSU's long-standing success at recruiting high-caliber goaltenders.

“LSSU has done a great job in that department for sure,” Barbeau said. “The coaches have a great eye for it. The other Kevin (Murdock) is learning what it takes to be a No. 1 goalie in the CCHA. It's like a big feeding frenzy at Lake State. Niels has really improved. His foot speed really picked up over the summer and you can see his positional play is better. His confidence level is up, too. He's a great kid, asks questions, wants to learn and play some games. He's heading in the right direction.”