Headline: Unheralded Lakers topple powerhouse Boston U 9-1
Publish Date: 04/04/1994
 
@by= David Jackson
 
@by1= Staff Reporter
 
St. Paul -- Dan Angelelli clutched the NCAA championship trophy with
both arms and held it close to his chest.
 
Saturday night, about 30 minutes earlier, the Lake Superior State
junior forward and his teammates had polished off their 9-1 rout of
Boston University in the NCAA finals, and Angelelli could hardly hide
his excitement.
 
"I'm not letting go of this trophy," Angelelli said. "I've been
waiting for this moment for so long. The feeling is just
overwhelming."
 
The Lake Superior State players think of themselves not only as
teammates but as brothers. Most of them aren't recruited heavily. But
they're brought together and inserted into coach Jeff Jackson's
system, which stresses positional defense and, most of all,
discipline.
 
They played it to perfection Saturday night in beating the Terriers,
a team that had not lost since Feb. 7.
 
"I had a long time in the second and third periods to get over my
anger," BU coach Jack Parker said. "It was more bewilderment. We put
on such a lack of show at the most inopportune time."
 
At only one point in the game did it appear that the Terriers had a
chance to overtake the Lakers. BU scored to cut the Lakers' lead to
3-1 in the second period and had a power-play opportunity. But they
did not score. Then came three BU penalties and three Laker
power-play goals. End of story.
 
"Their game is effort. Their game is discipline," Parker said. "The
difference in effort and discipline tonight was remarkable."
 
Angelelli should know about discipline. He was removed from the team
during the 1991-92 season and missed the Lakers' last championship.
 
"I said something I shouldn't have said," Angelelli said of the
reason for his dismissal from the team. "I owned up to it, and
(Jackson) gave me another chance. He knows how much I love this
program."
 
Angelelli was recruited in Jackson's first year at Lake Superior
State. He was one of six players the rookie coach brought to Sault
Ste. Marie, Mich., for the 1990-91 season. Angelelli is a redshirt
junior; the others are seniors and played their last game Saturday
night. They finished their careers with a record of 129-32-17, three
straight trips to the championship and two national titles.
 
"They'll be taking a piece of me with them," Jackson said. "And I'll
be taking a piece of them. (Team captain) Clayton Beddoes was crying
on the bench in the third period because he knew it would be the last
time he wore the jersey."
 
Pam Sweeney                            Go Gophers!!!
[log in to unmask]      1993 & 1994 WCHA Playoff Champions!!!
                                  1994 NC$$ PHinal PHour!!!
                                        Ski-U-Mah!!!