New year, same team.
The Nipissing Lakers women’s hockey team began 2024 the way they closed out 2023 – cruising through the OUA.
The Lakers wasted little time in picking up their first victory of the new calendar year, downing the Laurier Golden Hawks 9-3 Friday night.
Nipissing exploded for five goals in the opening period, scoring early and often.
Kara Den Hoed started the barrage, burying her fifth of the season just 41 seconds into the game.
Malory Dominico doubled the Lakers lead two minutes later, scoring her seventh of the season.
Veterans Katie Chomiak assisted the first goal, while Maggie McKee had the helper on the second.
Laurier replied just before the midway point of the period, making it 2-1 Nipissing, but four goals in six minutes put the Lakers up big after 20 minutes.
Ashley Taciuk buried a pair to put the Lakers up 4-1, with Abby Lunney assisting on each her goals.
Following Taciuk’s pair, Megan Hayhurst scored twice to close out the period.
Dominico added two assists to her game totals, while Lana Duriez grabbed an assist on Hayhurst’s first goal.
Madison Desmarais also earned a helper in the offensive flurry of the first period.
In the second, Laurier potted two goals before the six minute mark of the period to cut into the Lakers’ lead.
With their lead down to three, Nipissing answered, with three of more goals.
Chomiak made it a multi-point game, scoring her 11th of the year, while Lunney grabbed her third point of the night with her eighth goal of the campaign.
Duriez and Desmarais each picked up their second assists of the game on Lunney’s tally.
Madison Laberge buried her fifth of the year with under five minutes to go in the period, to build the lead up to six, as they are in command, up 9-3.
Compared to the first two periods, the third was tame, with neither team creating much offence through the first half of the final frame.
The quiet final frame was good enough for the Lakers, as they cruised to the win.
Chantelle Sandquist started for the Lakers, making nine saves on 10 shots before Rachel Lee closed out the final two periods, giving the started a well-earned break.
She finished with 11 saves of her own, while Nipissing had 31 shots on the Golden Hawks net.
Next up, Nipissing hosts the Waterloo Warriors to wrap up the first weekend of the second half Saturday evening.
Game time is set for 5 p.m. at Memorial Gardens.
The Nipissing Lakers men’s hockey team faced a big weekend to begin the 2024 portion of the season.
Welcoming the Toronto Varsity Blues to town for two games, the two teams find themselves battling near the top of the OUA West Division.
Wins by either team would go a long way to helping secure a playoff berth, as well as seeding, heading into the playoffs.
Unfortunately for Nipissing, it was the Blues that snuck away with a win and grabbed an important two points in a 4-3 setback to the visiting Blues.
The teams didn’t disappoint when it came to excitement early on.
Nipissing and Toronto combined for five goals in the opening frame, with the Blues leading 3-2 after 20 minutes of play.
After a Toronto goal, Jonathan Rees found the back of the net to tie the game at the midway mark of the period.
Toronto regained the lead 24 seconds later, going up 2-1.
Harrison Caines scored his eighth of the season on the power play at the 14:40 mark, as the Lakers once again drew even.
North Bay product Payton Vescio and Charles Farmer grabbed assist on the tying goal.
A late power play marker saw the Blues take their third lead of the game, as they finished the opening frame up a goal.
In the second, there was far less to report in terms of offence and it took about 14 minutes for the teams to get back on the board, but the Lakers managed to tie things up late in the period.
Max Griffioen tallied to make it 3-3, with Vescio grabbing another assist and Elvis Slack adding the other helper.
Seconds later, a loose and bouncing puck was swept into the Nipissing net, to give Toronto their fourth lead of the game.
The goal came just 31 seconds after Griffioen’s goal.
Just like the first, the Blues held a one goal lead after the second period, up 4-3 on the Lakers.
Things tightened up in the third, with neither team finding the back of the net despite some chances and close calls.
The Lakers pulled the goalie late, but could not find the equalizer.
Reece Proulx was between the pipes for the Lakers, finishing with 26 saves, while Nipissing had 29 shots of their own on the Blues net.
The two teams will clash again on Saturday night.
Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. at Memorial Gardens.
