Lakers hockey earn wins to launch season’s second half

The Nipissing Lakers men’s hockey team opened the second half of the regular season against the Ryerson Rams at Memorial Gardens last Friday night, earning a tough 5-3 win in front of 1,165 fans.The Lakers struck first, with a late first period goal off the lumber of Conor O’Donnell, but the lead was brief with Ryerson tying it up just nine seconds later.
The teams played hard and fast from there on, but it wasn’t until the start of the third period that Grant Toulmin put the Lakers up by one on a power play marker.  Again, Ryerson tied it up a few minutes later and then took a one goal lead before the Lakers regained control with two quick goals from Matt Paton and O’Donnell. Jeff Leaist added an empty net goal with 27 seconds left to finish off the scoring and the Rams.
It was a whole new game on Saturday night in Kingston against the RMC Paladins and the Lakers filled the net en route to an 8-2 victory.
Lakers scoring came from Paton, with a pair, Dorian Peca, Toulmin, Brandon Biggers, Vern Cooper, Lucas McKinley and Brogan Bailey.
The pair of weekend wins gives the Lakers a 9-8-2 record and 20 points.  They are now sitting in sixth place in the OUA East division, tied with Ottawa and McGill, who have played fewer games than the Lakers.