By LINDA BOUVET, LSSU Sports Information Director

Lake Superior State sophomore defenseman Zach Loesch understands that his game is a work in progress. The concept became clear to him as he successfully worked his way into the Pembroke Lumber Kings' lineup during his junior career.

“There's always room for improvement,” said the 6-5, 212-pound defenseman who has been paired with standout seniors Matt Bruneteau and Zach Sternberg throughout his collegiate career. “For myself, one big thing is to stay out of the corners when I don't have the puck. If I stay close to the net, it gives me a lot more room to make that first outlet pass. We stay close together and are a tangent, essentially. When we stay simple, our team's the best. Don't overcomplicate the game.”

“Zach has improved many aspects of his game over the year,” said freshman forward Matt Johnson, who has also roomed with Loesch at LSSU during the past two years. “He has really gotten better at making the first pass in the defensive zone and making the smart simple plays. He works really hard off the ice, in the weight room and in preparation for games.”

After a successful prep hockey career in the high school hockey hotbed of Minnesota, Loesch began a junior career with the Fresno Monsters, who were members of the North American Hockey League at the time.

“I wanted to play in the states at first, so it was tough to turn that down,” Loesch said. “I broke a rib out there and didn't play for awhile. Then I was not in the lineup, so that was a big part of my decision (to move to the Central Canada Hockey League's Lumber Kings later in the 2010-11 season).

Loesch was not a regular in the Lumber Kings' lineup when they went to the 2011 Royal Bank Cup, but enjoyed the post-season experience and played a much bigger role during their run to a 51-9 record and CCHL regular-season title in 2011-12.

“It was a smaller league, team-wise, only 12 teams,” Loesch said of the CCHL. “The NAHL has roughly 30 teams. The travel was way less, and the style of play a lot more offensive in the Canadian league. I played with a guy who had 122 points.”

Loesch credits former Lumber Kings and current Soo Greyhounds coach Sheldon Keefe with turning him into the player he is today.

“When I first got there, there were six 'D men' ahead of me. They were all great players. But I was becoming better in practice,” Loesch said. “The second year I was kind of a go-to defenseman. He melded me, then Coaches Roque and Christian have taken it from there.”

“Early on his inexperience really showed,” said Keefe, who first spotted Loesch at a tournament in Toronto. “Still, he continued to show potential in practice. It was just not coming together in games.

Keefe was immediately impressed with Loesch's passing and shot. He helped the lanky defenseman improve his positioning and foot speed, and make better use of his size and reach.

“There were a lot of little things he needed to tighten up,” said Keefe, whose current team leads the OHL Western Conference. “The constant was that he always had a positive attitude, always wanted direction and wanted to get better. He put in the work on and off the ice. I'm not exactly sure what role I played, because he really put in a lot of work. For me, the biggest thing Zach needed was for someone to believe in him. Some tall players, when they are first getting started, are cast away as being clumsy. They just need someone to believe in them, and I did from the first time I saw him. He really turned the corner a quarter of the way through his second year, and credit Lake Superior for recognizing that.”

Loesch was scratched from only one LSSU game in 2012-13 and two games so far this season. The Lakers' biggest defenseman in stature has the luxury of playing with defensive partners who have a knack for playing big.

“I started here with Bruneteau. He was my first defensive partner for three or four weeks,” Loesch said of LSSU's shot-blocking machine. “Then it was Sternberg the rest of the year. I guess I've played more with Zach and fully understand that he's the offensive guy of our 'D pair.' I let him do his thing, get him the puck. I wouldn't say that his stick is better than mine, or mine is better than his, but I definitely try to get him the puck…With Bruneteau I always knew I could take a risk and he would be there. We covered each other's backs really well. I played four games with him this season (vs. Michigan Tech and Bemidji State) and we didn't allow a goal.”

Bruneteau and Loesch were also paired together Dec. 13 at Alaska-Anchorage and again held their opponent scoreless.

So far this season Loesch has two assists, including one on Gus Correale's game-winning goal against Bowling Green State, and an even plus-minus rating. Loesch has a defensive-first mindset no matter who his defensive partner is, but the Loesch-Bruneteau pairing has a more defensive-minded look than the Sternberg-Loesch pairing.

“It has been a good season overall, obviously, and coach has been really happy with our 'D core,'” Loesch said. “We realize what we are to the team, especially our goaltending. I don't think it matters who's in net for us. Both have shown they are stellar goalies, and (Kevin) Kapalka has taken the reigns lately. It starts from them and goes to us. It's easy to play for guys like them. Everyone is humble – no real big egos this year. That's helped our team a lot. Everybody has bought into the system. Bruneteau and Perrault, they're pretty much defensive and can match some lines. (Kevin) Czuczman and Draps (Eric Drapluk) are real offensive for us, as well as Sternberg.”

Loesch is one of the Lakers' most-penalized players, although his penalty totals (7-for-14) are no where near Czuczman's 18-for-44. He's working on using his size to his advantage in this age of non-contact hockey.

“Ferris State, their 'D corps' average height is something like 5-9, 176,” Loesch said. “Especially for me – I'm 6-5 -- and a guy like Austin McKay (6-5, 220) who plays a really physical game. If he throws a hit on a 170-pound guy, he's going to fly. If it makes a noise, you're going to the box. Coach preaches simple body position. A lot of goals we give up are due to a lack of body position, whether it's on the forecheck or in the defensive zone. We work on being on the goal side, having good body position and stick presence.”

Loesch is the youngest of three brothers who grew up on a backyard rink in White Bear Lake, Minn.

“All day every year up to my senior year, my dad would be out there trying to get the best sheet of ice he could,” Loesch said of his father, Jeff. “He even made a fake zamboni, and that helped a lot. I'd go out on the rink with my brothers and they challenged me. My brother to this day will tell me he's better than I am, but he never played high school hockey.”

High school coach Tim Sager, pee wee coach Scott Hambly and Keefe all helped Loesch get to this point in his career.

“I pushed Zach hard at times, and he took it well,” Keefe recalled. “He used it in a positive manner. I'm incredibly proud to see him succeed.”