Evan Bushy's fourth career goal came at the perfect time for Lake Superior State. Down a goal late in the third, the assistant captain hammered home the tying strike at 15:48 of the third, off a great play by Branden Piku, who drove hard down the right side of the slot and slid the puck back to an onrushing Bushy
 
With the Lakers season in the balance, it was a critical goal in a massive moment.
 
But Lucas Van Vliet scored at 17:23 to put St. Thomas back in the lead, and the Tommies scored a pair of empty net goals for a 5-2 final score. The result sent the Tommies (20-11-5, 15-7-4 CCHA) through to the CCHA semifinals, while ending the season of Lake Superior State (11-22-3, 8-16-2 CCHA).
 
Bushy's goal tied the game 2-2 in a third period that saw the Lakers turn up the aggression, searching for the equalizer. LSSU put 15 shots on goal during the 20-minute session.
 
"It's huge," said Laker Head Coach Damon Whitten about the goal. "I thought we clawed and pushed and then fought our way back and you get a great skill goal to tie the game up late. You gain momentum and energy and feel like you're going to go on to win that game."
 
Rorke Applebee made 38 saves for LSSU, with more spectacular saves to keep the Lakers in the game as time ticked down. The sophomore from Chateauguay, QC has marked himself as one of the top goaltenders in the CCHA with his performances throughout the season, and turned in another quality performance on Saturday.
 
Whitten said, "We would like to build around him more and give him more support in some areas, offensively and defensively, because there's no doubt he can be the best goalie in the league and a top goalie across the nation. Our job is to put a team around him that can build from the back end out. Lake State's always been a phenomenal school for goalies and developing goalies."
 
Ryan Beck scored the first Laker goal on a rocket one-timer from the top of the left circle. Connor Milburn forced a turnover, Teleguine rapidly attacked and dropped the puck off to Beck who hammered home to tie the game at 1-1 at 6:01 of the first period. The three seniors combined for an excellent bit of play through the neutral zone, quickly pouncing on a turnover.
 
"We had to shuffle things late this week to just kind of make our lineup whole," said Whitten. "You get three seniors together. Milburn had a big weekend and Sasha played extremely well back a couple of great plays and big goals. It was great to see them get us that goal. Seniors are important. They got to lead the way, and it was good to see them do that tonight."
 
Lake State blocked 15 shots, led by Mike Brown's three. A high-level shot blocker, he regularly flung himself in the path of pucks on Saturday. John Herrington, Bryan Huggins and Hadley Hudak each blocked two.
 
Saturday marked the final game for several Lakers, including four-year players Connor Milburn, a captain, and Bryan Huggins. Co-Captain Sasha Teleguine departs after three seasons at Lake Superior State. Mike Brown, an assistant captain, played two years for LSSU, while Ryan Beck arrived this season.
 
"We're gonna try to get some time in with these guys and that's the first step," said Whitten. "We might only have 48 to 72 hours with our seniors as most of those guys, I'm assuming will go start their pro careers and we're going to celebrate them and watch them and cheer for them while we try to enjoy a little bit more time with them. So that's a piece of it. And then you're quickly moving on as coaches. We've got to build next year's roster and get through some exit meetings.
 
"We're entering a new era of Laker Hockey, and it will be a full, 360 degree view of what we can do better than anybody else and return us to where we need to be."
 
But for now, the team rests overnight, then travels back to Sault Ste. Marie. That final return trip of the season, for those who have experienced it, stands out as a special memory. Players begin the trip tired as they're coming to terms with the end of a long season. But much like the coaches, these young individuals celebrate their time together before preparing for their own next steps.
 
Whitten reflected on that last trip of the season. "It's at the arena. It's in their townhouses and dorms and around town and certainly on the bus and in airports and rinks all over North America. Yo've put every ounce of energy and blood and sweat and compete into a long grinding season. There is an element of - you get to kind of breathe for five or six days before you start that journey once again. I think they just get to see the value in the friendships and in the shared vision and the compete that they all put forward and just can kind of celebrate being with each other that way."

The 2025-26 campaign featured many remarkable moments with highlights like the Cappo Cup victory, the U.S. Coast Guard-themed sweaters for Military Appreciation Night, two former captains competing at the Olympics, or the Superior Ice Showdown at GFL Memorial Gardens. With work projects scheduled for the summer at Taffy Abel Arena as well, as recently announced by LSSU, the future is already on the horizon.

As the coach said, "We're entering a new era of Laker Hockey."