SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - The Lake Superior State (LSSU) hockey program (11-11-1, 8-6-1 CCHA) closed out the Cappo Cup Series with a 5-2 victory over the visiting Northern Michigan Wildcats (7-11-2, 5-7-0 CCHA) to bring the trophy back to the Soo on Saturday.

The Wildcats would get on the board first after Reilly Funk tipped in the puck to give his team a 1-0 lead at the 12:02 mark, and that score would hold throughout the remainder of the opening period. 

Both teams continued to battle for most of the second period with neither side giving an inch, but Branden Piku (Harrison Twp., Mich.) slotted home his second goal of the weekend to tie up the game at the 15:31 mark with helpers from linemates Reagan Milburn (Kamloops, B.C.) and Luke Levandowski (Rosemount, Mich.). Then, less than a minute later, Timo Bakos (Augsburg, Germany) firmly flipped the momentum in favor of the Lakers, quickly putting LSSU in front with help from John Herrington (Hudson's Hope, B.C.) and Nate Schweitzer (Champlin, Minn.), but the Lakers were not done yet. Harrison Roy (Lakeville, Mass.) fired in the puck with just under 30 seconds to play in the second period, and it took a deflection off the skate of Dawson Tritt (Spokane, Wash.) who was credited with the goal. Ross Roloson (Woodbury, Minn.) was also credited with an assist on the play to wrap up an impressive five-minute stretch of Laker hockey to close out the second period.

At the 2:09 mark of the third period, Connor Milburn (Kamloops, B.C.) took advantage of a Wildcat penalty, firing in his eighth goal of the season after being set up by Jared Westcott (Imperial, Mo.) and Evan Bushy (Thief River Falls, Minn.).  The Wildcats were able to add one more later in the period, but an empty-netter from Tritt iced the game away to secure the Cappo Cup.

12 different Lakers recorded a point on the night. Meanwhile, Ethan Langenegger (Kamloops, B.C.) picked up his tenth win between the pipes this season to tie his career-high after stopping 30 shots that he faced.

The Lakers return to action with a home-and-home series against Ferris State with puck drop for game one scheduled for 7:07 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 19 in Big Rapids, Mich. with the series returning to Sault Ste. Marie the following day.