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September 26, 2012

Return to hockey paid off for Smith, MSU

By Shane Frederick Free Press Staff Writer

MANKATO — Lauren Smith thought she was done with hockey.

It was 2008 and the Burnsville native and Academy of Holy Angels standout and Ms. Hockey finalist had signed to play college hockey at Ohio State. But she decided to walk away from the game, rather than go to Columbus.

About a year later, Smith got an unexpected call. Eric Means, recently hired as Minnesota State’s women’s hockey coach, was looking for some last-minute recruits.

“He called me and said, ‘I want you to look into coming back,’” Smith said.

Something about Means made her end her year-and-a-half retirement.

“I grew up playing boys hockey; I grew up between two (brothers),” Smith said. “(Means’) mentality is more like boys hockey. Everything we talked about I liked right away.”

Smith was Means’ only recruit on his first team, and now she’s entering her senior season with the Mavericks. An assistant captain, she has played in 104 career games, scoring 20 goals and compiling 57 points, the most of any player on this year’s roster.

“She’s really come a long way,” Means said, “in terms of playing the game and knowing the game and knowing what our expectations are.”

Smith has also brought some of that boys hockey edge. She plays an aggressive style and has racked up 161 minutes worth of penalties in three years.

“You love to have someone like that on your team,” Means said. “She has a little attitude. … She’s fast and strong and plays with an edge. She rarely loses a battle for the puck. She just goes and goes and goes.”

Smith said she understands that there is more on her shoulders this season — her last in the sport — which begins Friday night at home against No. 2 Wisconsin. The Mavericks have won just 22 games over the last three years, but she thinks the team has a chance to make a jump in the tough Western Collegiate Hockey Association in her last go-round.

“There are a lot of expectations,” she said.

One of those expectations for Smith to score goals. She had a team-leading 120 shots on goal last season and just nine goals to show for it. At times, she said, it was almost comical to watch video and see how many good scoring chances she had.

“She’s just gotta finish,” Means said. “There’s no one on the team that gets more golden opportunities. They gotta go in for her. She deserves it because of her work ethic.”

Means has high hopes for all of his upperclassmen. He said the group of seniors and juniors came out of the summer in better shape than ever.

That group includes team captain Kari Lundberg, a junior, as well as senior forward Lauren Zrust, who tied Smith for the team point lead with 19 a season ago, and junior Lauren Barnes, among others.

“They skate better; they’re stronger than they’ve ever been,” Means said. “There’s no question that this team would beat any of our last three teams.”

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