LAKE CENTRAL IN CONTENTION FOR STATE TITLE

ST. JOHN — Things could not have gone any better for the Lake Central hockey team toward the end of last season.

The Indians went into the postseason red hot, winners of 12 in a row, and beat rival Munster 5-2 in the Illiana League finals to win the Roper Cup.

But something not-so-happy happened on the way to the state tournament.

And it all had to do with a rule that the Indians broke in the Munster game.

“We picked up a misconduct penalty in that game and because of that we were uninvited to the state tournament,” LC coach Brian Black said. “It was close to a month since we had lost a game.”

To clarify, that misconduct was the 10th of the season for the Indians. To avoid a repeat this season, Blake had work to do.

“At times we would get overcompetitive and make a hit that neccesarily didn’t have to be made,” Black said. “Unfortunately the rules say that merits a misconduct penalty.”

And so Black, who used to be the junior varsity coach for the Indians, sought a “culture change.” Black credits his players for buying into the change quickly and says the Indians had to earn the respect of opponents throughout the state.

“Not just at a competitive level but to let teams know that we’re not a team going out there trying to cause a ruckus,” Black said.

Both messages have been received.

With the state tournament just around the corner, the Indians have built a 24-9-4 record, good enough to be ranked fourth in the state, with two misconducts this season.

“We told them if they did not conduct themselves in a way the coaching staff and the board expected, then there would be consequenses,” Black said.

The fact that the message was delievered by their coach who’s also a policeman (in Oak Lawn, Ill.) doesn’t hurt, but one of his better players says he brings more than that to the table.

“The amount of time he puts in for us is great,” forward Luke Glover said.

“To have someone who’s always there for you and helps you get better is important.”

Having a red-hot goalie doesn’t hurt, either.

Senior Jake Verbleid has played every league game and has a 1.86 goals against average with four shutouts this season, even though he has had more than his share of adversity.

“He has had to work through injuries and sickness but he has stepped up,” Black said. “And when we play teams who we may be overmatched against, he helps us stay in the game and be competitive.”

Glover, another senior, is one of the top scorers on the team despite an injury that kept him out a month. In 18 games played, Glover had 13 goals and five assists.

“When he’s on the ice, one or two players on the other team key on him, which gives him the chance to make the pass when necessary,” Black said.

A good example of that was the Indians’ Oct. 18 win over Crown Point in which Glover scored three goals but also had two assists.

“It’s one of the biggest rivalries, Lake Central vs. Crown Point, so it was fun winning,’” said Glover, who was not on the Indians’ roster last season, when he played for Mount Carmel in Chicago. “To put the puck into the net was great.”

To keep the puck out of the Indians’ net, Black relies on freshman defenseman Jake Maynard, who Black says helps his team because “while we have a solid defense corp, we need players to step up and Maynard is playing like an upperclassman.”

And with that misconduct issue no longer a factor, a second straight Roper Cup isn’t the only goal for the Indians.

“If we play to our full potential, we have a really good chance to win another Roper Cup,” Glover said. “And we have a good chance to win state, too.”