SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - The Lake Superior State (LSSU) hockey program (1-5-0) is set to open CCHA play when they kick-start the 2024-25 Cappo Cup Series on the road at their Upper Peninsula rivals, Northern Michigan (1-7-0), this weekend.
The Wildcats hold an 18-12 edge in Cappo Cup titles since the award was first introduced in 1994, but the Lakers have been the victors of the series in four of the past five seasons, including brining the trophy back to Sault Ste. Marie last season on goal differential with the home team having won each of the four contests.
Stories to watch:
- The Cappo Cup Trophy is awarded to the winner of the regular season series with ties being broken by goal differential.
- Last season, the NMU Wildcats earned a weekend sweep over the Lakers in Marquette despite four goals from Jared Westcott in two games. However, LSSU bounced back in January with wins of 5-1 and 5-2 to win the Cappo Cup with a goal differential of +4 (17-13).
- Reagan Milburn enters the weekend leading LSSU in scoring with 5 points (2G, 3A), and he is currently riding a 4-game point streak.
- Both LSSU and NMU enter the weekend searching for their second win of the season, but both teams have faced difficult matchups so far, including four of the Lakers' first six games being against ranked opponents (Michigan State & Ohio State).
- Eight different WIldcats have scored a goal entering the weekend with Grayden Slipec and Tynan Ewart leading NMU in points with 5 each.
- Both LSSU and NMU have had a CCHA Rookie of the Week winner thus far with William Ahlrik having won the award on Oct. 21 while NMU's Slipec received the award most recently after a 3-point night against Michigan Tech.
- The Lakers boast the nation's top penalty kill unit, entering the weekend a perfect 26-26 while playing a man down.
- Despite coming off a pair of losses at Ohio State, LSSU saw the return of Connor Milburn (Kamloops, B.C.) and Carter Batchelder (Savage, Minn.) from injury with the latter scoring a goal in his second game back on the ice this season.
