North Bay, ON – Nipissing Men's Hockey picked up valuable points in their push for the playoffs this past weekend.
Beginning on Thursday, Feb. 5, the Lakers travelled to Oshawa for an important matchup with the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks.
Nipissing's Markas Samenas got things going at 5:34 in the first period, scoring his 7th goal of the year to give the Lakers a 1-0 lead. Reilly Mayne would double the Lakers lead at 7:23, scoring his 4th of the year.
Just over a minute later, Tech would get on the board and cut the Lakers lead to one. Then, at 12:25, Tech tied the game at two goals apiece. The deadlock would hold after 20 minutes of play. Shots were 7-5 for Tech.
In the second, Tech scored their third goal of the game at 10:42 to take a 3-2 lead. The tally was the only one of the frame, as the Ridgebacks took a 3-2 lead into the final frame. Shots were 10-6 for the Ridgebacks in the period.
In the third, both teams had power play opportunities that were unsuccessful in conversion. That would be the case until 17:06; Nipissing's Chase Lacombe took a two minute minor penalty for high-sticking. 20 second later, Lakers forward Danny Akkouche scored a short-handed goal to tie the game at three. The goal was Akkouche's 5th of the season.
The score would stay tied at three after the final buzzer, and overtime was necessary to decide a winner.
2:22 into the overtime period, Tech's Alex Papaspyropoulos scored to give the Ridgebacks a 4-3 win.
Lakers netminder Zach Roy stopped 27 of 31 shots in the extra time loss. Nipissing picked up a point for their efforts.
Then, Saturday, Feb. 7, the Lakers returned home to face the UQTR Patriots in a 4PM mathcup at Boart Longyear Memorial Gardens.
In the first, Nipissing had one power play chance at 4:15 that was unsuccessful. At 10:21, UQTR broke the ice and scored, taking a 1-0 lead. The lead would hold into the first intermission. Shots were 7-7.
In the second, Nipissing had another power play chance at 3:16 that went unsuccessfully. The only other penalty of the period was a Nipissing infraction coming with under a minute left in the period. UQTR managed to score on this man advantage, taking a 2-0 lead into the dressing room. Shots in the period were 12-10 for UQTR.
The third period gave the Lakers one last chance to make something of this contest, and they did just that. At 14:54, Charlie Johnson broke through and scored Nipissing's first goal of the game, cutting into UQTR's lead. This was Johnson's 8th goal of the year.
The Lakers continued to press all the way until 1:10 left in the period, when David Campbell fired a puck over the UQTR netminder's right arm, top corner, to tie the game at two. The goal came directly off of a won-faceoff by Lakers captain Charlie Johnson, who garnered an assist on the goal. Tied at two is where this game would end after regulation. Shots in the third period were 8-7 for UQTR.
In OT, the Lakers and Patriots both looked poised to take the additional point. Then, just over two minutes into the period, Danny Akkouche skated the puck from his own zone across centre, drawing the UQTR defender to him on the near side. Akkouche passed the puck across the slot to a streaking Markas Samenas, who raced to the UQTR net and took a shot that was saved initially but trickled just over the goal line, giving the Lakers a 3-2 overtime win. The goal was Samenas' 8th of the season and second in as many games.
Lakers netminder Zach Roy made 25 saves on 27 shots in the extra time win.
For Nipissing, the overtime win and loss moves Men's Hockey to an 11-11-4 record this season, including a 7-4-1 record at home. Presently, MHKY resides at 6th place in the OUA's East with 26 points in 26 games, holding the final playoff spot with a one-point advantage over Queen's, who sits in 7th.
It is safe to say the next two games are massive for Men's Hockey as the push for the postseason continues. The Lakers are back in action Friday, Feb. 13 as the Carleton Ravens pay a visit to North Bay. Then, Saturday, Feb. 14, the Lakers will host the Queen's Gaels at 4PM.
You don't want to miss these games. Tickets are available at the Memorial Gardens box office on game day. Both games will be available live on OUA.tv.
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