MANKATO, Minn, - The Lake Superior State hockey program (4-20-2, 3-14-1 CCHA) fell to the No. 17 Minnesota State Mavericks (16-9-1, 11-6-1 CCHA) by a final score of 3-1 on Saturday. 

Both teams battled early, but neither were able to get anything past each other's goaltenders in the opening period as the game remained scoreless going into the first intermission.

The Lakers would ultimately break the scoring drought as Jack Jeffers (Oakville, Ont.) slotted home his first goal of the season at the 2:32 mark of the second period with Timo Bakos (Augsburg, Germany) and Benito Posa (Flint, Mich.) picking up assists on the play. However, a Minnesota State power play opportunity late in the period allowed David Silye to find himself in the right place at the right time to push a deflection past junior goaltender Ethan Langenegger (Kamloops, B.C.), knotting up the score at 1-1 going into the second intermission.

Early in the third period, a strike from Akito Hirose would give the Mavericks the lead and ultimately earn Hirose his second game-winner in as many days. The Lakers would keep fighting with multiple quality chances, but Silye would ice the game away with an empty-netter in the closing seconds. 

The Lakers return to action on Friday, Jan. 27 for the first of a two-game series against Bemidji State with puck drop scheduled for 7:07 p.m.