Playing 2,000 miles away from home ice, the Grand Valley State University men’s hockey team steamrolled a familiar in-state opponent for the American Collegiate Hockey Association’s Division II National Championship.

The Lakers rattled off five wins in five days in San Jose, Calif. The championship journey culminated in a 6-1 beat down of Michigan State University for the club team’s first-ever national title.

The championship game was never in doubt as the Lakers put up three goals in both the first and second periods, including a score by senior captain Ryan Welch, the first of the game just 33 seconds in.

“For the people who have been here for four years, it’s been a great ride,” said Welch, who had two goals and three assists in the tournament. “A lot of us are going on and getting jobs and getting married, and it’s a great way to go out. Four years ago, we lost in the national semifinals, and that was just a terrible feeling, and we had that bitter taste in our mouth. We knew we didn’t want to go out like that, so it worked out perfect.”

This marked the fifth-straight year the Lakers made the national tournament, but first time they advanced beyond the semifinals. GVSU’s Grant Lyon, who got the win in net, said there was “absolutely no way” he and the Lakers were going to lose to the season-finale Spartans.

“This was my last game in front of my dad, last game in a Laker uniform, and to go out like this is so exciting,” said Lyon, who was named the game’s MVP after turning away 37 of the 38 shots that came his direction. “It definitely takes away the pain of never getting to put a Laker jersey on again.”

The National Championship was the third time GVSU and Michigan State faced off this year, with each team winning one during the regular season. GVSU’s 2-1 loss to the Spartans on Jan. 28 was highlighted by a sensational performance by Michigan State goalie Drake Todd, but the Lakers were able to solve him on Saturday night as GVSU beat him six times before the second period came to a close.

“We wanted to come out right away because in State’s other four games, they jumped on their opponents really quickly,” Welch said. “On offense, we got their chances and buried them, and our defense didn’t allow many odd man rushes. We played very solid defensively, and we played very good offensively, and I would say this was our best game of the season.”

With 11 seniors on the team, the captain said it was a combination of the team’s experience in the national tournament along with the depth in their lineup that made it possible to win all five games in as many days.

“After the third (game), it’s all about mental toughness,” Welch said. “We had a bunch of seniors on the team, and we knew what it takes to get past that point. We also have four lines that can play with anyone in the country, and I think it really showed in this tournament.”

For GVSU head coach Mike Forbes, who is in his second year as the man on the Lakers’ bench, the team could not have played a more complete tournament.

“I’m very proud of the effort from this group of young men this entire season. It’s been a great year,” Forbes said. “We played well, we didn’t allow a lot of shots in the third period and Grant Lyon did a great job in net. It was a great victory for our kids, and a great victory for our program.”

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