Despite suffering two losses – one in overtime – the Nipissing Lakers men’s hockey team can take a number of positives away from their first road trip of the season.
First and likely most noticeable is goaltender Brent Moran.
The North Bay Battalion graduate and former Dallas Stars draft pick finished the weekend with 83 saves against a strong UQTR Patriotes team.
The Lakers fell 4-3 in overtime Friday night and 5-1 Saturday afternoon and will look to rebound this weekend, as they host their home openers.
Friday, Nipissing held two leads, but the Patriotes scored late in the third and early in overtime to grab the victory and the extra points.
After trailing 1-0, Steven Deeg and Dylan Staples gave the Lakers the lead after the first period.
The lone goal in the second period tied the game, as UQTR scored early.
The teams traded tallies in the third, with Erik Robichaud putting Nipissing up 3-2, but a goal with about six minutes remaining evened things up once again.
And just 16 seconds into overtime, the Patriotes grabbed the victory.
Deverick Otteryes had two assists, while Brody Morris, Colin Campbell, Danny Desrochers and Jake Wright all added helpers.
Moran finished with 40 saves, taking the overtime loss.
Saturday, the teams traded early goals, as UQTR went up 1-0, but Travis McEvoy buried his first OUA goal, set up by Morris and Wright.
From there, however, the Patriotes took over and scored four straight times to grab the victory in the second game of the weekend.
Moran made 43 saves in the afternoon tilt.
Nipissing now looks ahead to games this weekend against Laurier and Waterloo.
Both games are set for 7:30 p.m. at Memorial Gardens.
