Lakers Stun Crusaders in OT

Lakers celebrate after the Josh Fisher game winner!

The Forest Lake Lakers used a 43 save performance from goalie Matiss Kivlenieks, including 24 in the 3rd period, and two 3rd period goals to erase a 2-0 deficit and then struck in overtime to shock the visiting Hudson Crusaders on Saturday night with a 3-2 win.  Fans packed the stands and the Lakers didn’t disappoint the hometown faithful who erupted after the game winning goal.  This was the Lakers first game of the season and the inaugural home opener in their new home at the Forest Lake Sports Center.  “The fans and atmosphere were electric tonight.  I’m so proud of the total team effort our guys gave. They played with a lot of heart and never quit.  We are a blue collar, hard working team that is going to play 60 minutes, night in and night out. Other teams are going to have to earn a win with us.  Our goaltender was the difference tonight.  We will enjoy this for a day and then get back to work” said Lakers Head Coach Dennis Canfield.

The Mayor of Forest Lake welcomes the team to the community.

The pace out of the gate was quick in the early going of the 1st period as each team was feeling one another out.  Each team had a number of quality chances off rushes but both goaltenders were sharp and the teams headed to the locker room after one period scoreless.  “In the early part of the game our guys had a lot of nerves. It was good to get to the locker room and regroup.” said Canfield.

The 2nd period started much the same but it was the Crusaders who took the momentum and began to press, however, Kivlenieks was stellar time after time again.  At one point he turned aside a flurry of shots making 4 saves on the play including a one-time cross ice pass that looked to be a sure goal.  While the game went back and forth, the Lakers did run into penalty trouble. But they managed to kill off a 4 minute double minor on a penalty to Drew Olson while defending his net minder who had been ran into.  Even with the solid penalty killing, the Crusaders would strike first on a power play goal by Cole Knowlton in the dying seconds of the period, sending the Lakers to the locker room trailing 0-1 after two periods.  “We took a couple of penalties early in the period but I thought our PK was excellent, especially killing off the double minor. We were disappointed to give up a goal like that, especially in the last minute of the period” said Canfield.

Lakers Fans! Thanks for the support, hope to see ya again soon.

Heading into the 3rd period the Lakers shuffled the lines in an effort to generate some new offense and found success early on pressuring the Crusaders defense and goaltender.  Newcomer Josh Huskien (Minneapolis) had a solid game rotating between the Lakers top two lines, as did Jake Gunderson (Forest Lake) and Brandon Gillespie (Lindstrom) who were a physical presence all day long.  Even with the changes, the Lakers continued to call upon their goaltender and, following a turnover, Parker Caskey cashed in to give the Crusaders a 2-0 lead at the 4:03 mark of the 3rd.

Down two goals, the Lakers showed no signs of quitting to work hard and sticking to the game plan.  It finally paid off when Jake Peterson (Forest Lake) banged home a loose puck in the crease that slid behind the Hudson goaltender, cutting the lead to 2-1 at the 13:25 mark of the 3rd.  The goal energized not only the Lakers themselves, but also the faithful fans.  Following a Hudson penalty minutes later, while on the power play, the Lakers kept in an attempt to clear the puck and rookie Mike Caravella (Chandler, AZ) sent home the game-tying goal at 17:51.  The teams would head to overtime tied at 2-2.  Following a Lakers time out, on an odd man rush headed by Captain Jesse Game, Mike Caravella’s shot from the wing bounced off the goalie’s pads to Josh Fisher who banged home the winner giving the Lakers the 3-2 victory.  “We wanted to get this one for the crowd and for Lakers’ owner Ralph Hayne, especially being in our new arena.  We played a very good team tonight.  We have to continue to build off of this”, said Canfield.

Lakers thanking their fans for coming out for the game. 

Lakers will take their 1-0 record on the road to Hudson next Saturday for their first road game of the year. Then it’s back to Forest Lake the following weekend for a matchup with the Owls. In September the Lakers only play 4 games giving them some extra time to prepare and scout other teams. For more info go to www.lakershockey.com

Notes:  Lakers’ Power Play was 2 for 5

              Lakers’ Penalty Kill was 1 for 3

Lakers win 3-2 over Owls in Exhibition

The Forest Lake Lakers traveled to Isanti's Johnson Arena for their first exhibition of the season against the Minnesota Owls on Thursday night and downed the Owls 3-2.  This game was a nice gauge for both clubs as the Lakers’ season opener is Saturday, September 13th  in Forest Lake vs. Hudson Crusaders @ 7:30PM.  “We had a good start with the training camp and it was good for our guys to go against another team in a competitive situation to see where we were at as a club,” said Lakers Head Coach Dennis Canfield. “I liked a lot of what I saw, especially from our young guys who were getting their first junior experience.”

The Lakers jumped out early on a goal by forward Ryan Paal assisted by defensemen Nikita Diakonov.  The Owls responded by evening the game 1-1 on a goal mouth scramble and sent the teams to the locker room tied after the first period.  The second period saw the Lakers take a two goal lead on goals by local product Jake Gunderson and veteran defensemen Jessee Game.  The Owls would cut the lead midway thru the 3rd period, but the Lakers held on to earn the victory.

“We got to work on a lot of situational play and special teams. I thought our netminders looked good in their 1st game action of the season” said Canfield.

Stay tuned to lakershockey.com for more information.

Go Lakers!

Lakers Ready for 2014-2015

The anticipation is building as the inaugural game for new Forest Lake Lakers is just days away. There is an undeniable sense of optimism floating around the team.  The Lakers will open the season this Saturday at the Forest Lake Sports Center @ 7:30PM as they take on their rivals, the Hudson Crusaders.  What’s different you ask?  Just about everything - with the exception of longtime owner and GM, Ralph Hayne.  Coming off a sub-par season, changes needed to be made to the direction of this proud and storied franchise.  With that being said, Hayne relocated the Lakers to the Forest Lake Sports Center, a beautiful 5 year old facility that is now under the direction of the Forest Lake Area School District.  The 5 year contract included a new locker room with team offices and upgrading the training center, giving the Lakers some of the best resources for its players and staff in all of junior hockey.  The training center will be shared by the Lakers, the FL varsity teams and the youth association. Lastly, the Lakers brought in a new staff by way of new Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations, Dennis Canfield, a gritty, no nonsense systematic coach, with a proven track record of winning and developing players.  “We are 100 percent committed to bringing the Lakers back to their glory days and are more than excited to kick off this new chapter of the team in the proud hockey town of Forest Lake”. The coaching staff includes Terry Flood, a local FL coach with junior hockey coaching experience, and Matt McAlpin, Buffalo, MN.

The Lakers’ roster boasts locals Jake Peterson (FL), Jake Gunderson (FL attending Totino Grace HS), Brandon Gillespie (Chisago) and Ryan Paal (Ham Lake). Peterson and Gunderson will leave the Lakers in early November to play for their respective high schools. The roster also includes returners Matiss Kivlenieks (Latvia), Jessee Game (CA), Josh Fisher (Washington State), Jesse Knudsen (St Louis Park), Zach Milavitz (CO). “Our recruiting has brought us a solid core of players. I’m more than pleased with the chemistry of the new team”, said Hayne.

Saturday’s game will begin with an opening ceremony featuring FL Mayor Chris Johnson and School Board Business Manager, Larry Martini.

The Lakers’ games will be webcasted all season. The play-by-play this year will be by local announcer Joe Moore.  Saturday’s game will include guest color commentator Mike Staloch, President of the MN Junior Hockey League.

In addition to their league season, the Lakers will be hosting a game with a team from China named HC Harbin on Friday, October 10 at 7:30 PM. “Who thinks of China and hockey in the same sentence?”, said Hayne.  This will be the first non-North American team the Lakers have played in their 20 years. HC Harbin is being hosted in the US by the Iowa State Cyclones, a team the Lakers try to schedule annually. More details about the HC Harbin game will be coming in the next few weeks.

For more Lakers info visit: www.lakershockey.com