SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - The Lake Superior State hockey team posted a 7-4 win over Union College on Friday, Oct. 22 at the Taffy Abel Arena in the first game of a nonconference weekend series. With the victory over the Dutchmen, the Lakers overall record to 4-3-0.

Brandon Puricelli led the team with two goals while Timo Bakos, Dustin Manz, Harrison Roy, Dawson Tritt, and Jake Willets netted the remaining five Laker goals. Ethan Langenegger made 21 saves in his second win of the season. 

The Lakers stormed out to a five-goal first period with Jake Willets scoring the game's first goal only :38 seconds into the game. Willets, who beat Union goaltender Connor Murphy with a shot from the blue line, netted his first goal as a Laker with Miroslav Mucha and Louis Boudon recording the assists. 

At 6:46 of the first period, junior forward Brandon Puricelli extended his point streak to four games as he scored his first goal of the game. Puricelli's power play goal was assisted by Mucha and Jacob Bengtsson. 

Union cut the deficit to one goal at 13:15 of the first period with a power play goal scored by Liam Robertson. 

Within the same minute of play, the Lakers regained the two-goal lead when Dustin Manz scored his first goal of the year. Manz's goal came following a play set up by Jeremy Gervais and Benito Posa. 

Freshman forward Timo Bakos scored his first collegiate goal at 14:59 of the first period to make it a 4-1 game in favor of the Lakers. Josh Nixon and Mitchell Oliver tallied the assists on the goal. 

After Union scored its second goal of the game at 16:15,  the Lakers capped off the seven goal first period as freshman Dawson Tritt scored his third goal of the season. Bengtsson and Boudon recorded the assists, marking multi-point games for both skaters. 

Following the high scoring first period, Union's Collin Graf scored the lone goal of the second period to make it a 5-3 game at the end of the opening forty minutes of play. 

The Dutchmen brought the game within a goal (5-4) when Michael Ryan scored at the 5:32 mark of the third period. The Lakers held onto the one goal lead through the next stretch of the third period before Harrrison Roy netted his fourth goal of the season to give LSSU a two-goal cushion with less than three minutes remaining in regulation. Boudon and Bengtsson each recorded their third assist of the game with the helpers on Roy's goal. 

Puricelli clinched the win with his second goal of the game as he scored an empty net goal at 18:53 of the period. Boudon, who finished the night with a career-high four assists, and Mucha, who totaled a career-best three assists, notched the assists on the game's last goal. 

Langenegger posted 21 saves in his second win of the season while Murphy and Gavin Nieto combined for 29 stops in the game. 

The series between the Lakers and the Dutchmen will wrap up tomorrow night at 6:07 p.m. at the Taffy Abel Arena. The game will be available to stream on FloHockey. Fans can tune in to listen to Bill Crawford and Matt Pocket on the radio call on 99.5 YES FM.

For more information, visit lssulakers.com.

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