Box Score The Nipissing Lakers men's hockey team faced a big weekend to begin the 2024 portion of the season.

Welcoming the Toronto Varsity Blues to town for two games, the two teams find themselves battling near the top of the OUA West Division.

Wins by either team would go a long way to helping secure a playoff berth, as well as seeding, heading into the playoffs.

Unfortunately for Nipissing, it was the Blues that snuck away with a win and grabbed an important two points.

The teams didn't disappoint when it came to excitement early on.

Nipissing and Toronto combined for five goals in the opening frame, with the Blues leading 3-2 after 20 minutes of play.

After a Toronto goal, Jonathan Rees found the back of the net to tie the game at the midway mark of the period.

Toronto regained the lead 24 seconds later, going up 2-1.

Harrison Caines scored his eighth of the season on the power play at the 14:40 mark, as the Lakers once again drew even.

Payton Vescio and Charles Farmer grabbed assist on the tying goal.

A later power play marker would see the Blues take their third lead of the game, as they finished the opening frame up a goal.

In the second, there was far less to report in terms of offence and it took about 14 minutes for the teams to get back on the board, but the Lakers managed to tie things up late in the period.

Max Griffioen tallied to make it 3-3, with Vescio grabbing another assist and Elvis Slack adding the other helper.

Seconds later, a loose and bouncing puck was swept into the Nipissing net, to give Toronto their fourth lead of the game.

The goal came just 31 seconds after Griffioen's goal.

Just like the first, the Blues hold a one goal lead after the second period, up 4-3 on the Lakers.

Things tightened up in the third, with neither team finding the back of the net despite some chances and close calls.

The Lakers pulled the goalie late,

Reece Proulx was between the pipes for the Lakers, finishing with 26 saves, while Nipissing had 29 shots of their own on the Blues net.

The same teams wrap up the weekend with a game Saturday night.

Puck drop is set for 7:30pm at Memorial Gardens.