MHKY | Lakers Outlast Voyageurs in a Shootout
October 18, 2019
The Laurentian Voyageurs played the Nipissing Lakers this Friday October 18th for their fourth meeting already in this 2019-2020 season after meeting three times in the pre-season. Although this was the first game of the regular season between the two, it held the same intensity.
The first period held no scoring action but a total of forty penalty minutes shared between the teams. It would take the second for both Mackenzie Savard and Talor Joseph to be beat. Xavier Couture potted his second goal of the season just fifty-six seconds into the second after corralling a rebound from a Luke McCaw shot.
The rest of the scoring action would be in the favour of the Lakers as both Drake Lindsay and Gael Lubwele would beat Savard and give the Lakers the 2-1 lead after the second.
The Vees' offence would regroup in the intermission and break the Lakers lead after Russel Nowry beat Joseph from the point on a Voyageur powerplay opportunity. Nowry's goal would be assisted by Gabriel Paquin and Brett Jacklin.
The Lakers would strike back as a hot Lubwele would beat Savard for his second of the night on a Lakers powerplay opportunity twelve minutes into the third frame. The Voyageurs' captain, Jayme Forslund, got his offensive legs going thirty-five seconds after the Lakers goal when he sent a heavy shot from the point which was tipped in by Luke McCaw. McCaw would even the score between the Lakers and Vees' with just eight minutes left in the third.
After a scoreless overtime, eight rounds of a shootout would be needed to find the final decision maker. The Lakers' Joseph would hold back the Vees in the sudden death round giving the Lakers the shoutout win.
The Voyageurs play next weekend against the UQTR Patriotes for a Friday night, Saturday afternoon two game series.
Sam Brooks