The Lakers are taking on the Plattsburgh State Cardinals today, finishing up their weekend series in the north country. Yesterday, the Lakers fell to the Cardinals 7-1 for the first game of the series.

Last Meeting:

Yesterday, the Lakers came out fighting getting their first two shots on goal within the first two minutes of the game. The Cardinals responded to the strong beginning gameplay by gaining control of the puck and scoring three goals in the first period. The Cardinals continued to control the puck throughout the second period scoring three more times on the Lakers.The Cardinals offense overpowered the Lakers and the Lakers had no defensive answer. The game headed into its third period with a 6-0 Cardinal lead. At the 11:28 mark in the the third period, Kendall Appelbaum ended the shutout and put the Lakers on the board with an unassisted goal. The game ended in a 7-1 Cardinal victory.

Goalie Match Up:

For the Lakers, Madrigal started in the first game against the Cardinals so its possible that Dillon will put in freshman Amber Samonek. Samonek ended up playing in the final period of yesterday’s game, so that might of served as her introduction to the Cardinals.

For the Cardinals, senior Camille Leonard has a strong chance of playing the entire game. Leonard showed solid gameplay yesterday only letting in one of the 22 shots on goal.

Team perspective:

The Lakers knew going into this weekend that the games against the Cardinals would not be easy. Both teams have very strong and unique skills that help them progress on the ice.

“Plattsburgh is a very good club and we have to respect that,” head coach Diane Dillon said. “But at the same time, they put their skates on just like we do.”

With the Cardinals being ranked #1 and the Lakers being ranked #9 in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) West, there is high motivation for both teams to compete at their full potential.

Players to watch:

Lakers: Jacquelin White

Yesterday, she showed great potential on the ice and even took a few really good shots on the goal. She’s has really been progressing throughout the season, getting better and better each game. Now that she’s introduced to how the Cardinals play, she has a really good chance at producing some Laker goals today.

Cardinals: Jordan Lipson

Lipson was solid on the ice in yesterday’s game. She was one of two top scorers on the ice for the Cardinals, scoring two goals and having two assists on the game. There’s no doubt that she’s going to bring all she has on the ice again today.

Game Prediction:

Just like yesterday, the Lakers are going to come out full force in the first period. Now that the Lakers rookies know how the Cardinals play, they might be able to strengthen their offensive and defensive lines to prevent the same results as yesterday. Even though the Lakers didn’t take home a win yesterday, they came out showing that they’re still a strong team that isn’t willing to go down without a fight. Jacquelin White and Kendall Appelbaum have a strong chance at producing some valued shots on goal. However, with a team as strong as Plattsburgh, it won’t be an easy take over for the Lakers.