The Lakers turned in likely their best effort of the season as they came up with a gritty 4-1 win over the powerful Carleton Ravens Friday night on home ice.
In a possible preview of the first round playoffs, the Lakers and Ravens a playoff style game with lots of physical play, a great pace and even some after the whistle festivities.
But in the end, Nipissing prevailed thanks to being disciplined, getting strong goaltending and capitalizing on their chances.
Carleton opened the scoring just before the midway point of the first period when Joey West slipped a rebound past Lakers goalie Domenic Graham, who was very strong in net, allowing just the one goal.
Less than four minutes later, Colin Campbell made a nice pass to linemate Guillaume Naud who went in on a breakaway and made a great move, putting a backhand home to tie the game.
Jimmy McDowell added the other assist on the goal.
After a scoreless second period that saw a lot of hitting and tough play, the Lakers opened things up in the third.
Craig Campbell gave Nipissing the lead just after the five minute mark in the final stanza, tapping home a rebound after a point shot by Sam Gleason.
Mackenzie Keirstead picked up the other assist, making a strong pass along the blueline to Gleason.
Just after the halfway point, Colin Campbell scored a beauty, one-timing a slick feed from Erik Robichaud into the back of the net to give the Lakers a 3-1 lead.
The Ravens pushed back, but the Lakers held on and Robichaud, picking up his second point of the game, sealed the win with an empty-netter with 39 seconds left in the game.
Robichaud and both Campbell's – Colin and Craig – finished with a goal and an assist.
Harrison Harper also found the scoresheet, picking up a helper on Nipissing’s third goal.
Graham was very good between the pipes, finishing with 26 saves.
The Lakers have now won three in a row and will look to make it four when they host the UQTR Patriotes Saturday night at 7 p.m. at Memorial Gardens.
If the Nipissing Lakers women’s hockey team is going to make a long run in this year’s OUA playoffs, they are going to have to play like they did Friday night.
Despite being down early, the Lakers scored three straight goals and hung on for a 3-2 win over the Queens Gaels on home ice, improving to 12-5-5 on the season.
The Lakers, who are sitting in second place, helped their cause to not only stay there, but also acquire home ice advantage for much of the playoffs with another three points, bringing their season total to 40.
It wasn’t necessarily the best start the Lakers could have asked for, as they found themselves down 1-0 just under seven minutes into the game thanks to a power play marker by the Gaels.
It took until late in the period – within the last minute in face – for Nipissing to tie it, as Jade Gauthier scored her first of two on the night, scoring on the power play.
Zosia Davis and Stacey Henshaw picked up the helpers thanks to great puck movement, a good shot from the point and Gauthier’s strong positioning in front of the Gaels net.
The second period is where the Lakers took over, scoring twice.
Brooklyn Irwin finished off a great passing play as she took a sweet feed from Sam Strassburger and rifled the puck to the back of the net give Nipissing the lead.
Gauthier would add to the lead, scoring number two on the night, fighting her way to the front of the net again and jamming the puck past the goal line.
The goal came just 41 seconds after Irwin’s marker.
Up 3-1 after two, the Lakers locked things down, but a strong push by the Gaels had the Lakers holding on.
A second power play goal by Queens made the score 3-2 Nipissing with more than half of the third period remaining, but thanks to a strong defensive effort and outstanding goaltending, Nipissing held on for the three points.
The win gives the Lakers three in their past four games, where they have gone 3-0-1.
Rochefort finished with 26 saves, while the Lakers fired 21 shots towards the Gaels net.
Nipissing is back on the ice to conclude the home portion of the schedule Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. as they host the UOIT Ridgebacks at Memorial Gardens.
