Last year, the Michigan hockey team’s sweep of Lake Superior State in the first round of the CCHA playoffs started a six-game win streak that earned the Wolverines an appearance in the NCAA Tournament for the 20th straight year.

While extending those two streaks, Michigan kept another, significantly less important one alive — 11 wins in a row over the Lakers.

This weekend’s matchup with Lake Superior State (3-4-1-0 CCHA, 5-5-2 overall) should be a lot easier on the Wolverines — they only have one streak to worry about.

The last time the Lakers won a game against Michigan was in early 2007, and the current class of seniors had yet to enroll at the University. But this weekend’s main goal isn’t about extending the streak (few, if any, players actually know about it). It’s about coming away with six points in a crowded CCHA in which the top seven teams are separated by just seven points.

“Obviously you look at the big events on your schedule like the Showcase, the Big Chill, the Tournament, stuff like that but when it comes down to it, every weekend counts,” senior forward Matt Rust said. “Especially with the CCHA, the point race being so close this year, losing a game or dropping a point here or there, it’s going to cost us.”

Lake Superior State is on the bottom end of the clutter at the top, sitting tied for sixth place after sweeping Ferris State last weekend. In both games, freshman goalie Kevin Kapalka shutout the Bulldogs.

No. 10 Michigan has had success in the past scoring on the Lakers. During the Wolverines' 11-game win streak, they averaged nearly five goals a game. But according to Michigan coach Red Berenson, that is more luck than anything else. If last weekend is any indication for the Wolverines, then Lake Superior State is coming at the perfect time. Michigan (5-2-1-0, 6-3-3) scored three fluke goals last Saturday against Notre Dame.

All three began with similar stories. They started with a low-shot from the point. The puck then deflected off one or more players stationed in front of Notre Dame goalie Mike Johnson, blocking his vision. Where they differed was the finish. One came off of a rebound and the other two went directly off equipment and into the net. But in each case, by the time Johnson regained sight of the puck, it was on its way past him.

And even with a new goalie, the game plan remains the same.

“It doesn’t matter who the goalie is if he can’t see the puck,” Berenson said. “But if he can see everything — most goalies in this league, if they can see it they can stop it. Now you might get him on a rebound or you might get him out of position on a screen shot where they can’t find it and that’s what you have to hope for.

“It’s nothing to do with shooting smart with such and such a goalie. It’s just trying to get pucks to the net and getting lucky.”