The Nipissing University Lakers women’s hockey team scored the most goals in the OUA and allowed the least shots against during the regular season.
The Lakers are hoping to continue their stalwart play deep into the playoffs. Round one begins Wednesday afternoon against the Ryerson Rams as the Lakers strive to return to the sudden death McCaw Cup that decides OUA women’s hockey supremacy.
The Lakers wrapped up the regular season with a 16-6-2 record, with an impressive 11-1-0 record on home ice, where they’ll begin the post-season. The Lakers finished fourth, the Rams fifth. The teams split a pair of meetings this season, with Nipissing taking the first showdown 3-2 and Ryerson winning the second game 2-0 in Toronto.
Nipissing’s offence was the tops in the OUA, led by outstanding rookie Maria Dominico who had 15 goals and 26 points, leading her team in both categories. Bronwyn Bolduc, who is now the program’s all-time leader in goals, had a huge second half, hitting the 10-goal mark and supplying support to Dominico. The Lakers had 17 skaters find the back of the net and five had at least six goals, led by Dominico and Bolduc.
On the blueline, Nipissing has potential to be extremely stingy in their own end but can also join the rush to contribute offensively. Zosia Davis had an impressive season, piling up 18 points, including a team-leading 14 assists, putting her second on the team in scoring. She anchors a defence that had nine goals and 46 points during the season and allowed the fewest shots against.
Netminders Jackie Rochefort and Danika Ranger will be key to any Lakers success throughout the post-season.
This matchup should make for an entertaining series as Nipissing looks to keep their streak alive of three straight trips to at least the second round.
Game 1 goes Wednesday at 1:00pm at Memorial Gardens.
