Lakers knock off McGill, face UQTR in semifinals

The Nipissing Lakers made franchise history this past weekend, knocking the reigning CIS champion McGill Redmen out of the playoffs with a 2-1 victory in Montreal to win the best 2-out-of-three game series. The Lakers now face the speedy UQTR Patriotes, with game one tonight at 7 p.m. at Memorial Gardens.Sunday’s victory was the result of perfect penalty killing and an aggressive style of play that limited McGill’s chances.
The Redmen struck first, with a goal at the tail end of the first period, despite the fact that the Lakers controlled much of the play, outshooting McGill 12-5 in the period.
Nipissing knotted the score five minutes into the second period, thanks to a Lucas McKinley five-hole goal.  They kept the pressure on and were rewarded ten minutes later when defenceman Jeff Leaist popped the game winner with a top shelf wrist shot.
In the third period, the Lakers maintained pressure with a tough forecheck and some great goaltending by Dan Spence.
While Nipissing managed to put the puck behind the McGill goaltender once more, the goal was disallowed and ruled kicked in.
Nipissing’s penalty kill was perfect, killing off 11 penlaties, including two five-on-three disadvantages.  The Lakers penalty killing unit did not allow a single goal in the entire McGill series.
They’ll need much of the same in round two, as the UQTR Patriotes are ranked number one in the OUA East with a 23-6-1 record.
The two teams haven’t met since October, when UQTR won both matches.
Game two will be played in Trois Rivieres on February 23 at 2 p.m.  and game three (if necessary) is on February 24 at 2 p.m., again in Trois Rivieres.