BOXSCORE

Nipissing's (3-4-0) Conor O'Donnell had a goal and four assists and Vern Cooper scored a hat trick as Ryerson (2-4-0) watched a 3-1 lead slip away.

"They called their time-out, regrouped and tied the game up," head coach Graham Wise said. "It's a 20 minute hockey game and they came out and scored three goals."

O'Donnell scored the eventual game-winner 31 seconds into the third period to break the 3-3 deadlock. Rams goaltender Troy Passingham lost sight of the puck behind his net and by the time he returned to his crease O'Donnell was set to receive a pass and buried his opportunity. The Rams looked deflated after the goal and couldn't respond in the final frame.

"It's about character," Wise said. "Good character teams bounce back from that and don't let it bother them."

Sam Hopewell scored an insurance marker a minute and a half later and Cooper completed his trick with an empty-netter.

The Rams appeared to have the game in their hands, after Victor Terreri and Daniel Lombardi scored two goals 10 seconds apart early in the second period. Captain Andrew Buck rounded out the score sheet with a first period tally.

After establishing the two-goal lead, the Rams backed off of the Lakers, allowing Nipissing to claw their way back into the game. Cooper scored his second of the game at the six-minute mark and Kevin Rebelo evened the score off a rebound before the end of the period.

The Rams next game will be on Thursday night, when they host the Laurier Golden Hawks at Mattamy Home Ice. Puck drop is at 7:30 p.m.