Wednesday, February 1st, 2012

After a lackluster first period, the Lawrence Tech hockey team regrouped to claim a 9-3 win over the Mid-Michigan Community College Lakers on Jan. 20. Previously, the most goals LTU had scored in a game was four.

Don’t miss the fun when the Blue Devils host Indiana-Purdue University-Fort Wayne during Winterfest on Friday, Feb. 4, at 8:30 p.m. at the Southfield Ice Arena. Winterfest activities will include the LTU Fraternity and Sorority Hot Dog Eating Contest and the broomball finals. The inaugural E. George Lawrence Cup will be awarded to the broomball champions.

 

For the latest news from the hockey team, go to www.bluedevilathletics.com.

 

The Lakers took control of the first period by scoring twice in the first eight minutes. The Lakers would have scored again if it was not for an excellent catch by freshman goalie Brandon Paulus, who was getting his first start of the season.

Senior left wing Phil Lywood popped the puck in the net with an assist from senior defenseman Anthony Gabriano to put the Blue Devils on the board with 2:57 remaining in the period.

LTU came on like gangbusters in the second period. Senior forward Joe Donelko tied the score at 2 -2 on an assist from senior defenseman Nick Lemmo at 18:39. Six seconds later, LTU scored again this time on a power play when a shot from freshman forward Levi Lafromboise got past the Laker’s goalie. He was assisted by Lywood and freshman forward Alex Finazzo.

Donelko scored again at 17:16 with an assist from junior forward Steve Shalayko and senior forward Josh Sliter. At 17:03, Sliter made it 5-2 with assists from Shalayko and Donelko. The Blue Devils’ second power play goal of the game came off the stick of Lywood assisted by Donelko and Mark Koenigsknecht at 14:39.

The Blue Devils padded their lead when Lemmo set up freshman forward Alex Dengate who flipped the puck in the Lakers’ net. Then with less than two minutes remaining the second period Finazzo scored on an assist from Lywood.

Just over four minutes into the third period, Donelko had his first hat trick of the season when he scored the team’s final goal. He was assisted by Koenigsknecht and Lywood.

Despite the win, assistant coach Vince Doyle said the coaches were disappointed in the team’s first-period performance. “They didn’t execute the strategy the way we laid it out. They understand that. They are going to have to work on the strategy we laid out for the first period. In the second period we generated some chances and got some good bounces,” Doyle said.

“This game was good for the goalies,” said head coach Ken Gaffney. “We were able to give Brandon Paulus his first start. Freshman Mark Fenty, who is new to the team, also had a chance to play. We gave George (Gryzwacz) a much needed break. He has been anchoring the team all season.”

“This is the first game I started,” said freshman goalie Paulus. “It was different than I am used too. It moved faster and it was more intense. I loved it. I had a little bit of the jitters when I first started. I got it out of my system and settled down into my normal rhythm. I love playing for these guys.”

Paulus had 29:38 minutes of ice time. He stopped nine of 11 shots by the Lakers.

Fenty just started his college career at LTU this semester. Prior to joining the Blue Devils, he played Canada A hockey and juniors. Tonight was his first time on the ice as a college player. “I had some jitters,” said Fenty. “We were playing a good game when I stepped in so it was an easy transition.”

He went on to say that he felt prepared for his first time playing with the Blue Devils from seeing the ups and downs of the team and watching a few games, so knew what he was getting into.

Fenty, who took over for Paulus during the second period, stopped seven of eight Laker shots.

Senior Chris Roskelly had a good game on defense, and Lywood powered the offense with two goals and three assists.

Lywood also gives credit to his teammates for his success on the ice. “Players like Alex Finazzo make me who I am. He is just a great overall player. We just jell together,” said Lywood.

When asked what happened between the first and second periods, Lywood said, “Leadership was the difference. The guys realized they had to pick it up. We have been a slow-starting team.”

Blue Devils lose evenly matched game against MSU team

The Blue Devils were ready to host the team from Michigan State on Jan. 27 and it showed. They held tight in the first period by working as a cohesive unit, keeping the Spartans in check and scoring the first goal. But in the end the MSU squad emerged victorious, 4-3.

The spirited LTU and MSU fans were also ready for an exciting game. The Blue Men wore their togas and the LTU dancers entertained the fans between the first and second periods. The game was the first of two back-to-back meetings between the two teams.

The Spartans took control of the puck at the beginning face-off but it soon became apparent that it was going to be a seesaw battle.

“MSU came out kind of hard,” said assistant LTU coach Vince Doyle. “Our guys played our game. They buckled down, got their rhythm and skated even with them.”

Then at 8:32 in the first period, the Blue Devils’ junior forward Steve Shalayko scored the first goal of the game with an assist from senior defenseman Ben Videan and senior forward Josh Sliter.

“MSU carried the game to us. We got a nice clean shot from the right side,” said coach Doyle describing the play.

“We had a strong start,” said Shalayko. “Overall, only a few small mistakes cost us the game.”

MSU tied it up at 11:29 in the second period with an unassisted goal. MSU would have taken the lead a few minutes later if it were not for great stop by LTU goalie George Gryzwacz.

Blue Devil’s head coach Ken Gaffney described how the two teams shared hard fought plays. “Our guys pulled it together. They scored and we answered with a power-play goal scored by Nick Lemmo.”

Freshman forward Alex Finazzo assisted on the goal that broke the tied with 2:22 remaining in the second period.

However, MSU answered back within the first 30 seconds of the third period with another game-tying goal. Then at 10:27 the Spartans broke the tie with a slap shot. Nineteen seconds later MSU scored again.

The Blue Devils cut the Spartan’s lead to 4-3 with a shorthanded, unassisted goal by senior Phil Lywood who skated with the puck down the center of the ice. There was only MSU’s goalie to contend with, so he got the puck in the net with 2:15 remaining in the game.

In an attempt to tie the game, LTU pulled the goalie, but it was not to be.

“Our guys kept gathering confidence as the period went on. Our guys kept rallying They really wanted the victory, but due to the circumstances of the game we didn’t win,” said Coach Doyle.

Blue Devils’ team captain Nick Lemmo said, “As a team, overall, we played very well, just fell short. It was one of our better games of the year.”

He went on to say that he sees improvement in his team. “It is a progression,” said Lemmo. “We are a very cohesive group. We’ve progressed a long way.”

Ben Videan, who assisted on the Blue Devils’ first goal, was the coaches’ choice for top star of the game.

“I thought we had a good game. We kneow they were a good team coming in. We knew we had our work cut out for us,” said Videan. “We had good chances, a couple of goals and had some opportunities slip away from us.  But it was a good effort from everyone.”

MSU team overwhelms Blue Devils in East Lansing

The team from Michigan State University definitely had a home-ice advantage at Munn Ice Arena in East Lansing in a rematch against the Blue Devils on Jan. 28. The Spartans came out with sticks blazing scoring four quick goals in the first period en route to a 12-3 victory.

Senior defenseman Mark Koenigsknecht put LTU on the board with 1:20 remaining in the first period with an unassisted goal.

The second period started out much better for the Blue Devils. Team captain Nick Lemmo cut the Spartans’ lead by scoring a goal with 14:40 on the clock. He was assisted by junior forward Andrew Donaldson. However, MSU answered back with a power-play goal with 5:22 remaining in the period.

The third period did not go well for the Blue Devils and freshman goalie Mark Fenty, as MSU scored seven straight goals. Fenty, who was making his first start at the college level, stopped 29 of 41 MSU shots.

Lemmo scored LTU’s final goal with 22 seconds remaining in the game on an assist from senior left wing Phil Lywood.

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