The Nipissing Lakers lacrosse team certainly isn't easing into the 2017 CUFLA season, which begins Friday night for the team.

They kick off the year with a game versus Ottawa, followed by two against McGill to wrap up a three-in-three weekend on the road.

Coming off their best season to date and a playoff spot – eventually losing to the first place Trent Excalibur – the Lakers are looking to take the next step.

In a division with McGill, Carleton, Queens, Bishops, Trent and Ottawa, the Lakers are in tough, but with the positive steps they've taken as a program, they should be right in the thick of things.

After starting the season with three games on the road, they return home to host a pair of games against Bishops on Sept. 16 and 17.

The pair against Bishops begins a streak of six of seven home games, with a single road game at Carleton mixed in there as well.

A 4-8 finish last year was good enough for fourth place, a spot that was an improvement over the year prior, but far from the team's goal.

Hosting a playoff game is up next on the list of accomplishments and that journey begins Friday night.

The team has developed a solid core which is led by returning midfielder Nick Chaykowsky, who was not only the team's leading scorer, but also finished tied for third in the league in scoring and was named an Eastern Division All-Canadian.

Overall, the Lakers had four players with 20-plus goals – Chaykowsky, along with Doug Utting, Scott Dominey and Alex DeGagne.

The four combined for 103 of the team's 123 goals – an impressive amount.

The Lakers first opponent, Ottawa, finished with a 3-9 record last year, with the first matchup going the way of the Gee Gees by a final of 11-9.

The two games against McGill didn't to the Lakers way either, as they lost 8-3 and 17-7 in the first two games of the 2016 season.

Nipissing did manage a victory against Ottawa in their second meeting, topping the Gee Gees 15-7 in North Bay.

All in all, the Lakes are poised for big things if they continue the path they're on and their journey to the Baggataway Cup begins this weekend on the road.

Game time Friday is 8pm versus Ottawa in our nation's capital, Saturday's game against McGill is 5pm and Sunday's weekend finale is set for 1pm, both in Montreal.