SAULT STE. MARIE – Lake Superior State senior Domenic Monardo, who is enjoying a successful East Coast Hockey League Playoff run with the Gwinnett Gladiators, was named the Laker hockey team's most-valuable player and most-valuable forward, and received the Soo BlueLiner Award during the 31^st annual Soo BlueLiners Banquet held Thursday at the Cisler Center.

Gwinnett trails Cincinnati 2-1 in the ECHL Eastern Conference semifinal series and the teams meet in Game 4 on Friday. Through seven playoff games, Monardo (Oakville, Ont.) is tied for second on his team in scoring with three goals and two assists. He was not able to attend the banquet.

During the 2012-13 collegiate season, LSSU's captain led the Central Collegiate Hockey Association in overall goals scored with 20 and ranked 10^th in points with 31. In conference play, he scored a league-leading 15 goals and ranked 15^th in points with 21. His 100^th career point was an empty-net goal during LSSU's 3-0 win at Northern Michigan on March 2. He became the first Laker since Joe Blaznek and Jason Sessa in 1997 to score 20 goals. Troy Schwab, Rick Schofield and Monardo are the only Lakers since Blaznek to reach 100 career points. He finished his impressive Laker career with 49 goals, 52 points and 101 points.

In addition to the honors received Thursday, Monardo received the CCHA 2012 Terry Flanagan Courageous Athlete Award and the 2013 Bud Cooper Coaches Award. He was also named LSSU's outstanding male athlete at the recent Student Government Awards Banquet.

Nick McParland, Brett Wall and Ben Power gave their traditional senior speeches during the banquet. Junior Kellan Lain also returned from his stint with the Chicago Wolves and spoke to the capacity crowd.

Special awards were presented to junior defenseman Zach Sternberg (most-improved and Gay Blade Award), defenseman Eric Drapluk (outstanding freshman), sophomore Kevin Czuczman (most-valuable defenseman), junior defenseman Matt Bruneteau (Jim Howie Unsung Hero Award), and junior goaltender Kevin Kapalka (scholastic award).

Kapalka (Mississaugo, Ont.), who was LSSU's nominee for the CCHA Scholar-Athlete Award, ranks 14^th academically among Lake State student-athletes with a 3.78 grade point average in finance and economics. He's one of three LSSU junior goaltenders, and finished 7-9-1 this season with 559 saves and three shutouts. He won the Lakers' only CCHA shootout of the season, improving to 12-0 in career shootouts. He also totaled a season-high 44 saves in that game, which was a 1-1 tie with Western Michigan. He is ranked third in LSSU career save percentage, and fourth in career saves and goals-against average.

Known for being one of the toughest defensive defensemen in the CCHA, Bruneteau (Omaha, Neb.) brought Taffy Abel Arena fans and his teammates to their feet Dec. 15 when he scored his first collegiate goal and the team's game-winning goal during a 3-1 victory over Northern Michigan. But he is known more for his shot-blocking prowess. He followed last year's team-leading total of 89 blocked shots with 98 this season. He is a repeat winner of the Jim Howie Unsung Hero Award.

After earning CCHA All-Rookie Team honorable mention in 2012, Czuczman (Port Elgin, Ont.) was voted this year's most-valuable defenseman after finishing with two goals and 11 points, leading the Lakers in plus-minus and totaling 45 blocked shots. He appeared in 38 of 39 games and scored game-winning goals during a 4-2 victory at Alaska on Nov. 3 and a 3-2 home victory over Ohio State on Nov. 24.

Drapluk (Pembroke Pines, Fla.), who was Lakers' top freshman scorer, totaled four goals and 13 points, and ranked third among LSSU defensemen in scoring this season. He scored his first collegiate goal during a 4-2 victory over Michigan Tech on Oct. 11. He recorded two-point games against Alaska, Michigan and Bowling Green State, scoring two of the Lakers' three goals during a Game 2 playoff loss to the Falcons.

Sternberg (Toronto, Ont.), one of three junior defensemen, more than doubled his point production from last season, improving from one goal and five points in 2011-12 to five goals and 19 points this season. He led LSSU defensemen in points and finished third on the team in assists. He recorded multi-point games against Miami, Alaska and Michigan State, and had six multi-point series.