If there's such thing as a good loss, Saturday night's defeat against the UQTR Patriotes could be described as one for the Nipissing Lakers men's hockey team.

Entering the game, the Lakers had won five in a row and were playing as well as they have all season, but facing a team loaded with QMJHL grads and one that had only lost three times – one in overtime – the Lakers were in tough.

For the full 60 minutes, the teams played even. Nipissing played from behind for much of the game, but kept pace, went to-to-toe with one of the top teams in the league and didn't blink – a great sign for the future.

And that future comes this weekend when the Lakers host their northern rivals, the Laurentian Voyageurs for the second of four scheduled meetings this season.

The game is the latest in the rivalry and will mark the final home game of the first semester for Nipissing.

Laurentian took the first meeting, 3-2 in a shootout in what Lakers head coach Mike McParland described as playoff type game in terms of contested pucks, shot-blocking an physicality.

The same is to be expected this weekend when both teams look to rebound off losses on the weekend – Nipissing to UQTR and Laurentian to both UQTR and Concordia.

In fact, the Vees have dropped three straight.

Laurentian currently sits just ahead of RMC in the East Division, with a record of 5-7-1, good for 11 points, while the Lakers are fifth, just two points out of third place.

Even with the tough loss Saturday, the Lakers still hold a 7-4-3 record.

The key to Nipissing's success has been pulling out one-goal games.

They are an impressive 6-0-3 in games decided by just one and at home, they're 2-0-2 in the same scenario.

Laurentian is no slouch, either, however, sitting 3-1-1 in tight games.

The teams will wrap up the season series with a home-and-home at the end of January, but before that, their showdown should add another chapter to the rivalry.

Led by second-year forward Erik Robichaud (8G, 5A) and veteran defenceman Mackenzie Keirstead (5G, 5A), the Lakers possess a balanced attack that has seen 15 skaters record at least one goal and 11 of those, score at least twice.

In goal, both goalies who have seen the crease have been very strong. Veteran Kirk Rafuse 4-2-0 and newcomer Domenic Graham is 3-5-0, but has a saver percentage over .900 and a goals against average under three.

Saturday's game between the Highway 17 rivals is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Memorial Gardens.