The Division II Grand Valley State hockey team started the 2015 season on the right skate with two victories over Northern Michigan. GVSU opened the season with a 7-2 victory on Friday night and capped off the weekend with an 11-1 win on Saturday.

The Lakers scored early and often in the season opener Friday, netting three goals in the first 10 minutes of play. Spencer Godin initiated the scoring with a goal in the first couple minutes of play.

The Lakers dominated puck possession throughout the game. The team’s aggressive forecheck set the pace for the entire night.

“We established a really good forecheck, we were all over them the entire game,” said forward Nicholas Schultz.

The defense was able to keep the puck in the offensive zone, allowing the offense to continue attacking.

“Our defense is very mobile this year,” said GVSU head coach Mike Forbes. “To have them be able to join the play and close gaps the way they do, it adds an entirely different dimension to our hockey team.”

Penalties hurt GVSU throughout the game. The Lakers committed six penalties, two of which resulted in power play goals for NMU. The penalties did not affect the offense, as the Lakers scored four more goals after the first period, and left with a 7-2 win.

Penalties were far fewer in the second game of the series on Saturday. The Lakers committed only two penalties and held the Wildcats’ power play scoreless.

The offense continued its scoring ways with 11 total goals in the second contest against NMU, including two power-play goals.

Forward Corbin Rainey set the tone for the offense in the first five minutes. Rainey shot a wrister from just inside the blue line that ricocheted off the boards behind the goalie. He raced past the defenders to catch his own rebound and scored on the backhand.

“I was just trying to shoot it through the defensemen and get the puck on net,” Rainey said. “I found it and beat the defensemen and luckily it went in.”

The Lakers finished the period with three goals. In the second period, the offense exploded for five more goals, including two goals in a 20-second window.

The Laker offense maintained a balanced attack in both games. Eleven different players scored a goal over the weekend.

The defense played another solid game, allowing just 10 shots on net. Goaltender Jiri Aberle saved all but one shot. NMU’s lone goal came in the third period with 15 seconds left.

Expectations for the Lakers are high this season. The Lakers finished the 2014-15 season with a 25-7-2 record, finishing ninth in the national tournament. The Lakers look to extend their streak of reaching the national tournament to 10 years in a row this year.

“Our expectation is always to go the national tournament,” Forbes said. “There is a lot of competition in our region but I like our hockey team and we are going to be competitive.”

GVSU will look to improve its record on an upcoming four game road trip. The trip will start with a two-game series at the University of Iowa on Oct. 2 and 3.