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.