Lake Superior State Wins Florida Hockey Tourney

This story is courtesy of Lake Superior State Athletics

ESTERO, Fla.- Lake Superior State men’s ice hockey defeated the Notre Dame fighting Irish by a score of 2-1 in the championship game of the Florida College Hockey Classic.

Both teams skated to a 0-0 tie through the first period before an own goal by Irish defender Andy Ryan gave the Lakers a goal just three seconds into the power play.

Mitchell Nardi (2-3--5) was credited with the goal for the Lakers.

58 seconds after the Irish tied the game with 5:05 remaining in the third period, Florida native Eric Drapluk (2-3--5) scored the game-winning goal. Drapluk grew up playing hockey at Germain Ice Arena as a youth and was able to net the tournament-winning tally on the same ice years later.

Freshman goaltender Gordon Defiel (4-15-1) earned the victory for the Lakers (4-17-1) as they were able to get through the tournament unbeaten. Defiel earned stopped 28 Fighting Irish shots en route to the victory, however he was not alone as the Lakers combined for 16 blocked shots from the forwards and defensemen.

Freshman Aidan Wright (1-4--5) blocked six shots while also picking up an assist on the game winner.

Defiel was awarded the Shawn Walsh Memorial Trophy, following the game, in recognition of the Tounament’s Most Valuable Player. The trophy is named after former head coach of Maine, the late Shawn Walsh.

Chris Ciotti (5-4--9), who netted the shootout-winning goal in the first game against Cornell was named to the All-Tournament team, along with fellow assistant captain Drapluk.

The Lakers will take a short break before returning to Western Collegiate Hockey Association action on the road at Minnesota State- Mankato on Jan. 9-10.