Heading down the stretch, the Nipissing Lakers women's hockey team has an opportunity to finish strong and control their own destiny.

With a pair of games at home this weekend, they're looking for six points.

Friday night, the Lakers took a bit of a hit to the game plan, as they fell 3-2 in overtime to the Laurier Golden Hawks.

The teams traded goals through the first two periods.

Brianna Gaffney put the Lakers up 1-0, scoring at the 6:54 mark of the opening frame.

Maria Dominico picked up the lone assist on the game's first goal.

Laurier responded about four minutes late, tying things up and eventually sending the teams to the intermission tied 1-1.

In the middle frame, the Lakers once again took the lead, as Madison Laberge scored her first OUA goal.

The power play marker was set up by Ava Keis and Marilyn Fortin and came around the midway point of the period.

Late in the second, Laurier scored a power play goal of their own to once again tie things and send the game to the intermission even.

After nothing in the way of offence in the third, the game went to overtime.

In the extra frame, the Golden Hawks found the back of the net to escape North Bay with an upset win.

Chantelle Sandquist took the loss in net, finishing with 25 saves, while the Lakers had 28 shots on goal.

Nipissing is back in action Saturday night when they host the Waterloo Warriors as part of Military Appreciation Night.

Game time is 7:30pm at Memorial Gardens.