Even though it was a historic season, the Nipissing Lakers women’s hockey team still have one thing to check off their ‘to do’ list.
After improving every year of their four since joining the OUA, the Lakers enter Year 5 with one goal in mind – a championship.
"As our first recruits in program history reach the end of their five-year OUA careers, we look forward to continuing our forward progress both on and off the ice this season,” stated Lakers head coach Darren Turcotte.
“I have to give the players that have been part of our program in our first four seasons a lot of credit. They have created a culture within our program that is driven by hard work and dedication in the classroom, on the ice and when training. Competition is at a very high level in the OUA with any team capable of winning on any given night. We look forward to competing hard on a daily basis, very similar to the way we have done since day one."
While the team won’t get too ahead of themselves, nor will they look that far down the road, they do have the pieces to make a legitimate run at a title.
The progression has been fantastic for the team, taking a step forward each year, culminating with a championship loss last season, but if things going according to the script they have written so far, this could and should be the year.
With a solid returning core, with key players in all positions returning to the blue and green, along with an impressive group of rookies and on top of that, players who have developed over last season, this roster is dangerous to place against.
Last year, the Lakers ranked fifth in goals-for and second in goals-against – two areas that led them to the OUA Finals against Guelph.
If the trends they have established year after year continue, the team is poised to once again make some noise and be at the top of the OUA standings.
The Lakers will be four lines deep no matter which 12 forwards see the ice, they’ll have depth on the blueline and a great trip in net.
While their roster in 2016-17 impressed many, they may have actually improved their depth and skill at almost every position, adding a number of provincial team players, along with players who have represented Canada at different levels.
The season begins for the Lakers this weekend, with a pair of home games to kick things off.
Friday, Nipissing hosts the Western Mustangs and Saturday, the Windsor Lancers are the opponent.
Both games are set for 4:30 p.m. at Memorial Gardens.
