Competitiveness and athleticism. Rorke Applebee needed every ounce of both key attributes to preserve a late Lake Superior State lead, as the Lakers beat Augustana 2-1 on Friday night in CCHA play.

With just over a minute remaining in regulation, Applebee stopped a shot from close range by Joey DelGreco. The puck lay in the crease, agonizingly out of anybody's reach for one very long moment. Applebee reached it first, sticking out his left leg and covering the loose puck, just before Brett Meerman stabbed the puck into the net, tying the game 2-2 until video replay confirmed that Applebee had, indeed, covered the puck first. The goal was called back for goalie interference, and the Lakers (5-9-1, 2-7-0 CCHA) locked down the remainder of the game.

Laker head coach Damon Whitten praised the play of his starting goaltender postgame. "He makes a huge initial save, and then the competitiveness, the athleticism to respond and get on that puck to force their guy to go through him and drive him into the net. You can't say much more about his competitiveness than that, and that wins the hockey game."

Connor Milburn assisted twice in the win over Augustana (6-5-1, 3-4-1 CCHA), while Hunter Ramos and Branden Piku scored both Laker goals. Piku scored the game winner at 13:40 of the third period, a breakaway strike from Evan Bushy and Milburn. Ramos struck in the first period, a powerplay goal at 17:30 from Milburn and Carter Batchelder.

"Hunter's played well," Whitten said. "We talked postgame with the radio crew [on 99.5 YES FM] that he can play with pace. His skating is really high-end. And unlike a lot of guys who can play fast without the puck, Hunter can do it with the puck on his stick. That's what separates him from a lot of guys. He doesn't miss a step. He doesn't slow it down. He can play so fast and teams have a hard time defending him. It's another big-time goal."

Both Piku and Ramos notched their fifth goals of the season. Piku has goals in back-to-back games, after scoring last Saturday at Ferris State.

Whitten said, "I thought the effort was there. Sasha Teleguine wasn't on the scoresheet, but I thought he was outstanding. The strength, the speed, the toughness. He started off the right way and that feeds through your entire team. Connor Milburn had a big game for us with a couple of assists. Piku had a really big game as well and gets the game-winning goal. You need those experienced guys to lead the way."

Colton Friesen scored a powerplay goal for Augustana in the second period, assisted by Meerman and Leonid Bulgakov. Applebee made 24 saves in the win for the Lakers, while Josh Kotai stopped 30 shots for the Vikings.

"I think they're really good hockey games when we play Augustana," said Whitten. "I like the way they play with speed and skill. It's league games. It's hard. You've got to fight for every inch there. I really liked our effort."

The Lakers meet the Vikings again on Saturday at 6:07 PM at Taffy Abel Arena. LSSU will wear special U.S. Coast Guard-inspired sweaters as part of Military Appreciation Weekend. Six of them will be auctioned during the game.

Earlier in the day, Laker Men's Basketball plays its first home game of the season against Lawrence Tech. Opening tip is schedule for 2:00 PM. The Lakers will unveil a new banner commemorating the 2024-25 team that won a Regional Championship at the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Tournament and qualified for the Elite Eight. The team will also be recognized with a ring ceremony prior to the game.

"It's a great day of Laker Athletics," said Whitten. "The time we spent with the Coast Guard all week long, seeing what they do for our nation, what they do for our community is so powerful. So having the chance to honor them with our great effort, be a shining light, we can show our appreciation for what they do."