After a two-week break, the Grand Valley State University DII club hockey team (7-2-1) returned to the road last weekend to face off against Miami (Ohio) University (5-6-0) in two consecutive matches that both ended in GVSU victories.

“We had two weeks off and we hadn’t really been pushed by any opponents yet this year, so we were a little sluggish,” said GVSU head coach Mike Forbes. “We came out of the gate a little slow on Friday, but we did a lot better on Saturday after a little rest. I thought that we had a lot more soul and effort. We moved the puck well, everyone skated well, and the teamwork was excellent.”

During Friday night’s action, the teams played evenly, with neither able to gain a significant advantage over the other. While the Red Hawks gained an early two goal lead in the first period, the Lakers soon retaliated, out-scoring Miami 6-2 the rest of the way.

The teams tied four times during the game, but it was GVSU’s offense that finally got them the 6-4 win.

“I think that with the two weeks off and the bus lag, we could have played better,” said forward Brad Wilhelm, a freshman. “We played well enough to win, and that’s what matters, right? We got the win, but next time we want to play with better passing and better skating.”

The Lakers demonstrated their dominance from the first quarter of the second game, holding a 5-0 lead for most of the game. While the Red Hawks did manage to sneak in a goal in the third, the Lakers’ defense held strong, while the offense kept the pressure on until the end, winning 5-1.

“Anytime you go on the road, it causes a lot of off the ice team building,” said junior Craig Marritt. “We’re trying to bond more every day, and overall right now, we’re in a good position for team building. We definitely came in knowing that we should get two wins against Miami, and we wouldn’t have been satisfied coming back 1-1 or anything less than that. The goal was two wins and that’s what we got.”

This weekend’s victories extended the team’s six-game winning streak and put the Lakers in good position heading into Friday’s home game against the University of Michigan.

With two wins under their belt and an undefeated record on their own ice, the game is shaping up to be an eventful one against the 6-3 Wolverines.

“I’d like to see us play a little better, but two wins are two wins, and that’s important,” Forbes said. “We’ve got some big games coming up, and it’s important that we build some momentum and we built a few good steps towards that this weekend.”

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