AROUND OUA: Lakers hold on to top Gaels 3-2
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.
SCOREBOARD
Lakers hold on to top Gaels 3-2
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.
Source: Nipissing Lakers
WINDSOR, Ont. (February 5, 2016) – A potent Windsor Lancers offence did in the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks women's hockey team on Friday night as they suffered a 7-2 loss on the road.
The Hawks, who entered the night allowing just over 1.8 goals per game, surrendered seven goals in a contest for the first time since 2012 as they fell to 10-1-8-1 on the season.
Windsor's offensive outburst was led by the OUA's leading goal scorer Shawna Lesperance of Belle River, Ont., who had a four-point night, highlighted by a hat-trick to give her 17 goals on the year.
Four other Lancers also found the scoresheet as Windsor improved to 7-1-10-2 on the year.
Giuliana Pallotta of Beeton, Ont., with her first career goal for the purple and gold, and Dollee Meigs of Owen Sound, Ont., replied for the Hawks.
Rookie Lauren Webber of Burlington, Ont., was pulled in her second straight start for Laurier as she allowed five goals on 22 shots. Amanda Smith of Burlington, Ont., replaced her early in the third period and fared no better allowing two goals on 11 shots.
Ingrid Sandven of Bergen, Norway, earned the win for Windsor as she made 25 saves.
One bright spot for the Hawks was the play of fifth year forward Jessie Hurrell of Palgrave, Ont., who registered two assists. Laurier's leading scorer now has 19 points on the season, moving her into a tie for sixth in conference scoring.
The Hawks will look to put this game behind them when they return home Saturday night, February 6, when they host the No. 6 Western Mustangs. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. at the Waterloo Recreation Complex and the game can be seen live on OUA.tv.
Source: Laurier Golden Hawks
