SAULT STE. MARIE, MICH. – A seven-goal first period proved to be too much for the Union College men's hockey team as they fell 7-4 to Lake Superior State University Friday night at Taffy Abel Arena.

Three Union players had multi-point nights. Senior Brandon Estes picked up a pair of assists and currently leads the team in points with six. First-year Michael Hodge scored his first collegiate goal and added an assist. Hodge is now on a three-game point streak, tallying one goal and three assists over the last three games. First-year Cullen Ferguson had the secondary assist on Hodge's goal for his first collegiate point before adding the primary assist on first-year Collin Graf's goal.

Union went 1-for-3 on the powerplay while the Lakers went 3-for-5 on the man advantage.

The Lakers scored 0:38 into the game and added a powerplay goal 6:08 later to go up 2-0. Sophomore Liam Robertson scored his third goal of the season, tipping a puck in off of Estes' shot to cut the lead 2-1. The Lakers added their third goal of the game only 0:26 later, with their fourth goal coming only 1:18 after goal three. Hodge scored his first of the season only 1:16 later to cut the lead 4-2. A powerplay goal with 1:39 remaining in the first period put the Lakers up 5-2.

Graf scored the lone goal in the second period cutting the lead 5-3. Ferguson shot the puck from the top of the circle where Graf picked up the rebound. Graf took it behind the net before skating up the wall, across the top of the circles, and down before shooting it through traffic past Ethan Langenegger.  

Senior Michael Ryan tallied his first goal of the season 5:32 into the third period. Ryan fired a shot from the right circle and picked up his own rebound on a bouncing puck. The senior hit a second chance shot that found its way past Langenegger to bring Union within one with 14:28 to play.

A powerplay goal and an empty net goal in the last three minutes of play sealed the victory 7-4 for the Lakers.

In his collegiate debut, junior Garrett Nieto had 13 saves on 15 shots in 43:57 of relief, including a scoreless second period where he turned aside seven shots.

Union will play Lake Superior State again on Saturday with puck drop scheduled for 6:07 p.m. from Taffy Abel Arena.