Lakers Hockey - OT hearbreak for Women; Ravens too much for Men

Just 24 hours after the biggest win of the season, the Nipissing Lakers women's hockey team were back on the ice, looking to avenge their only loss of the season, as they hosted the Brock Badgers.

 

The Lakers clawed their way through 60 minutes and into overtime, but it was the Brock Badgers who caught a break in the second overtime period and edged the Lakers 3-2.

 

After a bit of a slow start where the Badgers controlled the early part of the game and opened the scoring, the teams played an entertaining game.

 

The Badgers were in charge early on, outshooting Nipissing 10-4 and leading 1-0 after the opening 20 minutes, but the Lakers responded in the second.
 

Nipissing came flying out of the gates in the second period, striking twice and taking over the game.
 

Jade Gauthier tied things up with a great individual effort as she chipped the puck into the back of the net.
 

Taylor McManus grabbed the assist on the game-tying goal early in the middle frame.

 

The Lakers would take the lead thanks to dominating the play, when Laura McKenzie found the back of the net.
 

Brooklyn Irwin and Kaitlyn McManus earned helpers on the go-ahead goal.
 

Nipissing was in good shape, but the scrappy Badgers found a way back into the game and tied things up in the third period and sent the game to overtime.
In the overtime, the Lakers had a glorious chance, but the puck remained on the goal line and out of the net.

 

The Badgers then capitalized on their best chance of the extra time, as they caught a break in double overtime and found the back of the net.
Brock escaped with the victory and the extra point and remain the only team to have defeated the Lakers this season.
 

Nipissing finished with 33 shots, while Jackie Rochefort was good in net, making 27 saves on 30 Badger shots.

 

The OT setback wasn't enough to knock the Lakers out of top spot in the OUA as they remain on top with 26 games; the same amount as Guelph but the Lakers hold a game in hand.  

 

The Lakers will be back in action next Saturday when they host the Laurentian Voyageurs Saturday night.

 

Game time is set for 7:15 p.m. at Memorial Gardens.

 

It was pretty obvious the Nipissing Lakers men’s hockey gained some confidence from their big win Friday night.

The Lakers came out very strong Saturday against a tough opponent in Carleton and likely should have had a lead after 20 minutes, but hot goaltending was their downfall and they came out on the wrong end of a 3-1 decision.

The Lakers peppered the Ravens net with 14 shots, including a number of very good chances early, but Francois Brassard was strong, making all 14 saves until his team got on track.

After a scoreless first period where the teams combined for 25 shots, the Ravens broke the scoreless draw in the second with a pair of goals, the second proving to be the eventual game-winner.

The first goal came just two minutes into the period, while the second was just after the midway point.

In the third, the Lakers cut the deficit thanks to a nice goal from Guillaume Naud who took a slick feed from Dylan Staples and tapped it by Brassard.

Colin Campbell picked up the additional assist on the tally.

Unfortunately that was all the offence the Lakers could muster, as the Ravens sealed the win with a goal with just 10 seconds left in the game, as Nipissing had pulled goalie Talor Joseph.

Corey Durocher did all the damage for the Ravens, scoring all three goals, including an empty-netter.

The Lakers finished with 26 shots, while Carleton had 31.

Jeremy Pominville, who started the game, left with an injury and was replaced with Joseph.

The two combined for 29 saves in a losing cause.

Nipissing hits the road for their final four games of the semester, next weekend at Guelph and Western before finishing up in Windsor on Dec. 2 and 3.