=20
After WMU beat LSSU earlier this year, the season series winds up 1-1-1 =
after this weekend at WMU.  I'd say the record about sums up the two =
teams this year -- quite equal. =20
 
> A big weekend for both WMU and Lake State may feature the first
> appearance of Trevor Demmans in a Laker uniform. The highly regarded
 
Demmons did play, at least Sat night.
 
> LSSU has been idle since Dec. 16  (14-4-0, 10-4 CCHA)
 
As a Bronco fan I thought LSSU looked great, especially on Fri night -- =
it was typical LSSU hard skating, physical, "I'll beat you to the puck" =
attitude.  It was the most physical series WMU has played by far this =
year.  Related, LSSU seemed to get under WMU's skin and basically =
dominated all of Friday night.  There were tons of skirmishes and minor =
pentalties both games, althought the referee called it a lot tigher on =
Sat.  Notably, neither Graham nor Magaliarditti looked as stellar as =
their stats and previous play would indicate (perhaps the big goalie =
showdown got to both of them -- esp on Friday).  For the series Grahame =
gave up 6 goals on 51 shots and Magliarditti gave up 9 goals on only 41 =
shots -- both should drop from national rankings a bit, maybe a lot.   =
Magliarditti looked espcially shaky Fri night (a bit better Sat, but =
still not great); he even gave up a very bad goal by misplaying a puck, =
that I think would have been icing had he not played it, RIGHT TO an =
LSSU player (sorry, forgot who, Bagglionetti??) who promptly buried it, =
making Magliarditti look real bad.  Magliearditti gave up his first goal =
on his back with a WMU and LSSU player on top of him -- he (and many in =
the crowd) thought it should have been waived off...I think a WMU player =
croschecked the LSSU defenseman onto Magliarditti, although I didn't see =
it difinitvely.  Neverthless, Magliarditti didn't handle that well, lost =
his cool, and apparently couldn't shake it.
 
Saturday, WMU showed incredible resolve -- it was the most exiting game =
I've seen at Lawson since the  Michigan game a couple years ago when the =
then #2 nationally ranked Woverines came in to play the then unranked =
Broncos (another OT tie).  Marliarditti played better than Fri, but =
still nothing like the stellar performance before he left for the World =
Juniors.  Sat night, WMU came back from a 2-0 deficit after 2 periods =
(no scoring in the 2nd), and I thought dominated LSSU the second half of =
the 2nd, all of the 3rd and OT  periods. They held LSSU to 17 shots for =
the game and I think only one in OT.  They did this by playing typical =
LSSU style hockey -- aggessive, "I want it more than you do" attitude =
(of course after being waxed on Fri night and behind 2-0, they needed =
some of that attitude!).  With under 3 minutes to play in regulation =
with the score 3-2, Mayers beat Grahame, but clanked it off the right =
post.  With about 1 minute left in regulation during a scramble on the =
side of the net the puck slid beside, almost behind, Grahame and missed =
going in by no more than an inch.  The heartstopping game equalizer came =
with only 6 seconds to go in the 3rd with Magliearditti pulled -- Jeff =
Rucinski grabbed a pass that got through the top of the crease, past =
Grahame, into an open net.  It was Jeff's 1st goal of the year.   WMU =
had a few quality chances in the overtime but Grahame came up big.  LSSU =
had to feel lucky to get out with a tie given the 2, 3 and OT =
periods...WMU had momentum and the SRO crowd behind them.  But, frankly, =
WMU feels good (can't say lucky) after being down 2-0 and 3-1 in the 3rd =
and coming out with a tie as well! =20
 
Western can technically still claim a share of 1st place in the CCHA =
with MSU, but WMU has played two more games.  Right now, I'd say MSU has =
the edge in the CCHA, although Michigan has looked _extremely_ strong =
the last two series and has a weaker part of their schedule coming up =
(UMich clobbered UIC this weekend after destroying both Miami and Ferris =
last week -- Alaska,  Notre Dame and OSU up next). =20
 
>=20
> Meanwhile, the injury bug continues to haunt this year's Lakers. Geral
> Tallare will miss the series with a separated shoulder. John Grahame =
made
> his return on the 16th with a win over Ohio State. He is healthy and
> ready to go.
 
WMU had and still has  __major__ injury problems as well:  Brooks =
(shoulder -- another week or two), Duke (wrist...perhaps season ending) =
and Innanen (knee, indefinately).  Brooks and Duke were both injured =
within the past week -- until then they had accounted for almost 60 =
points and had a combined +/- rating of an incredible +27. Brooks was =
gone for all of the LSSU series and Duke for all of Sat and part of Fri. =
 I'm not sure Innanen and Brooks would have made enough difference on =
Friday's game, but I would venture to say that Western may well have won =
the game on Sat with one or more of those three in the lineup.  I have =
to give credit to Collard, who played big in Duke's absence.=20
 
> It should be a great weekend of hockey.
 
It was -- I just wish we would have come out with at least 2 =
points...sigh.
 
 
Randy Wald
 
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