The Nipissing Lakers women’s hockey team is headed to the OUA Finals.
The Lakers won an absolute thriller in overtime tonight over the Toronto Varsity Blues, sweeping the series and advancing to the championship game for the first time in their short four year history.
Brooklyn Irwin banged home a rebound at 12:12 of the first overtime period to give the Lakers the 3-2 victory and the series.
In a fast pace, exciting game, the teams went back and forth and battled for every inch of the ice.
Nipissing struck first, scoring early in the first to take a 1-0 lead.
Jade Gauthier continued her excellent playoff with a tally to get the scoring started.
Toronto would respond with two goals before the period was out, scoring four minutes apart to take a 2-1 lead into the intermission.
The lone goal of the second period came thanks to Bronwyn Bolduc, who rifled home a perfect pass from Gauthier, who finished with two points.
Strassburger earned another assist on the goal that tied the game.
After a scoreless third, the teams went to sudden death overtime, with the Lakers looking for the series sweep and Toronto looking to extend the series.
After chances at both ends, the Lakers did a great job battling for a loose puck before Kaley Tienhaara tapped the puck in front of the net.
Taylor Murphy grabbed the other assist, doing a great job battling down low for the loose puck.
A scramble ensued and in the end, Irwin pounded the puck to the back of the net to give Nipissing their historic victory.
The goal set off the raucous crowd at Memorial Gardens as the Lakers spilled on to the ice celebrating a big win.
The Lakers become the first team in the department to advance to an OUA championship game and will now await the winner of Guelph and Waterloo to see who they battle for the McCaw Cup.
Jackie Rochefort was her stellar self, making 25 saves, while her counter-part, Valencia Yordanoc finished with 25 as well.
Nipissing outshot the Blues 28-27 through just over 70 minutes of play.
The McCaw Cup finals go next Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m., either at Guelph or at Nipissing, in North Bay.