With its weekend cut in half due to Saturday’s snow storm, the Grand Valley State University men’s hockey team had to settle for a single win this weekend against Central Michigan University.

Friday’s home game saw the Lakers (13-9-0) come from behind on two occasions, battling back from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits in the third period to squeak out a 5-3 win against Central Michigan (17-10-0). Saturday’s game was scheduled for a 4 p.m. faceoff in Mount Pleasant, but it was called off due to several inches of snow. Both teams have discussed a make-up game, but no official plans are set.

“We were halfway there (when the game was cancelled),” said senior forward Brad Keough. “We were all pumped to play, especially after last game got a little chippy, so a weekend like that you get excited for. We wanted to finish up the series, so we were pretty bummed.”

The Lakers fell behind less than three minutes into the first period as a giveaway on their own blue line lead to a breakaway goal for Chippewa forward Nick Badder. All three Laker goals against came after giveaways in the neutral zone, and all three were unassisted.

The team trailed 2-1 after the second period, but the Lakers got four third-period goals, including a perfectly placed shot over the glove hand of Chippewa goalie Matthew Darr from senior Scott Rood that proved to be the game winner with less than two minutes to play. Senior Jeff Anonick tallied an empty-net goal a minute later to seal the Chippewa’s fate and notch the team’s final goal.

Despite the early deficits, GVSU captain Ryan Welch said he was certain the Lakers would be able to come back.

“The whole time it felt like we were the most dominant team on the ice,” he said. “We felt confident on the bench and our whole morale was very good. We’ve come back a handful of times this year, and to be a good team you have to come from behind and win those close games.”

Goals did not come easy for the Lakers in the first 40 minutes. Darr made several acrobatic saves to keep the Chippewa lead at one going into the second intermission, and GVSU also had a goal wiped out after the referee deemed Anonick had batted a puck out of the air and into the net with a high-stick.

But the third period was a different story for the Lakers, as the team finally solved Darr, scoring four goals, including Anonick’s empty-netter.

“We did a good job at getting traffic to the net and getting multiple people through the net,” said GVSU head coach Mike Forbes. “The goalie can’t stop what he can’t see, so if you take away his eyes then it makes it pretty difficult for him.”

Next weekend could be the most important of GVSU’s season thus far, as the team takes on Michigan State University. A weekend sweep could all but guarantee a spot in the National Tournament for the Lakers. However, two losses could put their spot in jeopardy.

“I think we’re in pretty good shape,” Forbes said. “I think Central’s play will give us a little bit of a lesson to be ready from the opening faceoff. Michigan State is a good hockey team, we know that, and it’s a weekend series that is huge and I think the guys understand the gravity of it.”

The Spartans and the Lakers will faceoff in East Lansing Friday night at 9 p.m. The two squads will cap off the weekend with an 8 p.m. puck drop at Georgetown Ice Arena on Saturday night.

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