March 2, 2016

Lakers dump Mustangs to grab semifinal series lead

Winning is always great and winning in style is even better.

Nipissing

Western

Final

Nipissing

Western

Winning is always great and winning in style is even better.

The Nipissing Lakers women's hockey team grabbed a 1-0 series lead in their second round OUA Playoff matchup with the Western Mustangs Wednesday night thanks to an exciting 4-2 victory on home ice.

The Lakers jumped out to a 3-0 lead and locked things down from there, earning the victory and putting themselves one step close to advancing to both the OUA and CIS Championship.

The Lakers didn't waste any time getting the ball rolling against the Mustangs, who hadn't surrendered a goal in their first round sweep.

Brooklyn Irwin and Jade Gauthier combined for two goals and four points, leading the Lakers, but it truly was a team effort.

Irwin and Gauthier combined on the opening goal, as Gauthier made a slick move at the Mustangs blueline, made a sweet pass to Irwin who sniped a shot to the top corner to give Nipissing a 1-0 lead.

That goal ended a streak of 123 minutes of shutout hockey by Western goalie Kelly Campbell.

Holding a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes, the Lakers came out flying in the middle frame, scoring just a minute in.

Kaley Tienhaara finished off another gorgeous play, making a perfect move after taking a pass from Carly Marchment to make it 2-0 Lakers.

Nipissing didn't slow down, either and the highlights kept coming.

Taylor Murphy made it 3-0 on maybe the best goal of the night – although all four could make the TSN Honour Roll – as she finished off a three-way passing play.

A great deke put her in front of a wide open cage and after sliding the puck in, the Lakers were in total control of the game.

Gauthier and Irwin picked up the helpers on the goal.

Western would respond late in the period as Brittany Clapham cut the lead by scoring with three minutes left in the period.

Gauthier would respond for Nipissing just over a minute later when she made two great moves beside the night and backhanded the puck to the top shelf from an almost impossible angle.

That goal made it 4-1, which is the way the teams would enter the third period.

Western pushed back in the early portion of the final frame and cut the lead in half, scoring just over five minutes in, but that was as close as they would get.

The Lakers locked things up and earned the win.

Lakers goalie Jackie Rochefort didn't have to be great, but was very good in net, finishing with 14 saves for her third straight playoff victory.

The final shots favour Nipissing 19-16.

Gauthier finished with three points, Irwin had two and five different Lakers picked up points.

The Lakers will now take their 1-0 series lead to London for Game 2 Saturday afternoon at Thompson Arena.

Puck drop is set for 4 p.m.