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<DOCID>Jeff_Jakaitis_Interview.doc.txt</DOCID>
<AUTHOR>Mackenzie Barrett</AUTHOR>
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Friday, December 1 and Saturday, December 2 gave Lake State Hockey their first sweep over  Northern Michigan since 2000.  The Friday night victory over Northern Michigan was the first win against NMU since November 26, 2004.  The Lakers win Saturday night at NMU was their first win in Marquette since February 2004.  Another goal was reached during Friday nights competition when Senior Goaltender Jeff Jakaitis recorded his 10th LSSU career shut-out breaking the previous record set by former Laker Blaine Lacher in 1994.  I sat down with Jakaitis and asked him a few questions about Laker Hockey and breaking the record for shut-outs.



Mackenzie Barrett: What was going through you mind during the last few minutes of the game?



Jeff Jakaitis: Nothing about the shutout really just concentrating on the game and helping the team put up a win.



MB: Northern Goaltender Bill Zaniboni spoke with you at center ice after the game, what did he have to say to you?



JJ: Not too much, I think he heard it over the load speaker he said congratulations and good luck, goalies tend to be friends. Ive played against him for 3 years weve played a lot of good games and its a mutual respect.  Hes been one of the best goalies in the league the last couple of years.  He told me good luck the rest of the year



MB: I have heard that you are superstitious about your stats, why is that?



JJ: I dont know, Im not superstitious I just try not to pay attention to it that much.  I find the more you watch that stuff you start worry about that more than what is important, winning the game and stopping as many the pucks for the team not for your own stats.  The main goal has to be the team and doing well for the team.



MB: Being a CCHA team and Lake States biggest rival, did it mean more getting the shutout against Northern Michigan rather than another school?



JJ: Yeah that was huge.  I remember that my freshman year they had Goalie Craig Kowolski and they had two shutouts against us that weekend to break their school record. Its a neat thing to do it against a good team thats done well the past few years.  Its nice to do it against Northern because thats our biggest rival and more than anything nice to be able to shut them out and get a few big points.  It was great to get four huge points this weekend.



MB: When you ran out to ring the bell, you wore a zebra on your head, any comments?



JJ: Its a team thing that we do.  We give it out to our unsung hero guy, sort of player of the game.  A lot of teams do things like that, they give out constructions hats or little toys.  The Edmonton Oilers this year give out a really ugly jacket.



MB: Who has helped you the most along the way?



JJ: Too many people to mention really.  My first hockey coach who was a former goalie and really got me into playing goalie.  Don Muio who is a volunteer coach who started here my freshman year, hes been awesome.  He played for the Lakers in the 70s and is a great guy to have around.  My high school coach.  Coach Anzalone and Coach Roque gave me the opportunity to play here and I owe everything to those guys.



MB: Have you been able to speak with the former record holder Blaine Lacher since breaking his record Friday night?



JJ: No I havent, I have no idea what hes doing now.  Its kind of neat, he played in the NHL and he had some awesome years here. 



MB: What are your plans after leaving LSSU?



JJ: No idea, I would like to keep playing hockey.  It depends what kind of options are out there and what my opportunities are.  Its up in the air.  Im going to have a business degree if I dont play hockey and Ill have a degree to get a job and go from there.  Id like to keep playing hockey for a while.



MB: What do you think about LSSU being back in the National Rankings at No. 20?



JJ: Its so nice.  My freshman year we only won like nine games.  Its nice to be a part of rebuilding.  The team gets better each year.  Last year I think we were up as high as around 14 going into Christmas.  Again this year, we turned over and graduated 12 guys last year and to have such a young group come in and be playing well and be back at Number 20.  Its a good stepping stone for us and there is still a lot to be done.  



MB: Was there a lot of pressure on the team going into the NMU series last weekend?



JJ: Not really any more than any other league series that we have.  The race is so close with points right now.  Every weekend that we play is big whether it be Northern or Ferris this weekend or whoever it is, every weekend is huge for us right now.  As far as added pressure, I know the fans like it when we beat Northern its kind of a rivalry thing and we take a little pride in it and there is added pressure from the fans.  As far as us in the locker room, we try to approach it like any other league game.  Its always nice to beat Northern.  



MB: What are your thoughts on the upcoming series against Ferris State?



JJ: It should be a good series.  They are a good team.  They have kind of struggled, I think that they are 2-8 right now but I think they are a lot more talented than their record shows.  Its always a tough place to play and the fans are pretty rowdy.  They were pretty ruthless last year but its a good place to play.  Its kind of an old barn with lower ceilings and it gets pretty loud and a smaller ice surface where they kind of fly all over the place and I think theyre going to be desperate to get points.  Obviously its a big weekend for them to try to get points and the same for us to get the momentum and build off of last weekend.



MB: How does it feel being the new record holder for most shut-outs in LSSU history?



JJ:  The same as it did before, I guess.  Its nice but at the same point but its more important that we won the game and any time I can give the team a chance to win.  If you dont let any goals in you cant lose and anytime you can do that for the team its nice.  Its a cool thing to have, a cool thing to look back on and to look at the accomplishment.  Its cool but it doesnt feel any different.



The series against Northern was not the only test for Lake State.  The Lakers travel to Ferris State this weekend and seven out of the next eight games will be on the road.  The next home game is Saturday, December 16 against U.S.N.T.D.P. Under 18s and the next home CCHA series will be against Nebraska-Omaha at Taffy Abel Arena.  The Lakers are only half way through the regular season so there is plenty of hockey action to come.  Come on out and support Laker Hockey!



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