Saturday was playoff lacrosse at its finest.

The Nipissing Lakers lacrosse team advanced to the Baggataway Cup after a thrilling 13-12 victory over the visiting Bishop's Gaiters that saw the game pushed back two hours and moved to Hunstville due to field conditions and weather.

This set up as likely the most competitive game of the playoff weekend and the back and forth contest didn't disappoint.

Nipissing opened with the first three goals, but Bishop's got the next four. Another four-goal Gaiters' run put Bishop's ahead 9-7 through the midway point of the third quarter.

When David Rossiter scored five and a half minutes into the fourth, Bishop's had extended their lead to 11-8 and looked to be in pretty good shape.

The twists and turns weren't done, though. Nipissing's Sam Rooney scored a natural hat trick in a span of 1:32 to even things up.

Sam Firth scored with a minute and a half to play and Bishop's was back in front. It didn't take long for 2018 CUFLA scoring champ Scott Dominey to reply; he connected 29 seconds later to tie it back up.

That set the stage for Bo Peltier's heroics. Peltier took a pass from Tanner Poole and scored the winner with 27 ticks of the clock remaining.

Poole finished the game with three goals and eight points, Rooney had six points – three goals and three assists – Will Craig added two goals and two assists, Dominey finished with a hat-trick and Riley Sloan and Peltier each had one goal apiece.

Thanks to their victory, the Lakers will advance to the championship weekend where they'll face the Western Mustangs Friday night.

Game time for the quarter-final showdown is 8pm at Molson Stadium at McGill University.