It's pretty safe to say the start of the season hasn't gone the way the Nipissing Lakers women's hockey team would have liked.

While there have been positives and glimpses of the team that gave the eventual CIS champions all they could handle last year, the Lakers are winless through three games and only have a single point to show for it.

Offence has been a bit of an issue to this point, with the team scoring just two goals so far.

Saturday, the Laurier Golden Hawks skated away with a 3-0 victory in a physical matchup at Memorial Gardens.

The Hawks scored a goal in each period including two by North Bay native Robyn DeGagne to claim the victory.

The third goal, assisted by DeGagne came into an empty net with just over a minute to go.

Jackie Rochefort, who made 24 saves in the loss, had been pulled for the extra attacker in an attempt to tie the game.

And with a sixth player on the ice, the Lakers did generate chances, but were unable to score.

The officiating, while not to blame, wasn't helping out any, handing out a few iffy penalties, as well as blowing a quick whistle while Nipissing appeared to have scored late in the third period.

Kaley Tienhaara seemed to picked up a loose puck and tap it in, but the play had been blown dead despite the pick still being loose in the blue paint.

Regardless, things aren't clicking at the moment for the Lakers, but with 21 games left in the regular season, there is no reason to panic.

With so much talent on the team, it's a matter of everything gelling and things will improve, most likely sooner rather than later.

Nipissing hits the road for four straight game beginning with matchups against York and Brock next weekend.