Six Nations Arrows Express 2007 Minto Cup Champions
The Lakers really didn't have a chance. Right from the start, Six Nations dominated in the final game. By the end of the first period, they were leading 8-1. The Lakers just couldn't seem to get much past Arrows' goalie,
Ben VanEvery.
The Arrows are an amazingly strong and fast team, and
Kent Squire-Hill is particularly fun to watch. I've never seen anyone hang onto a ball so well with so many coming at him. Shawn Evans kept his diving under control today, which was good.
I got a chuckle out of seeing a Salmonbellies fan of about nine or ten hold up a hand-made poster as the Arrows filed through to the dressing room during an intermission. The poster read: "Evans No Diving."
Six Nations deserved today's win, there's no doubt about it. Congrats to them.
Congratulations also to Salmonbellies goalie,
Craig Robertson, for getting awarded Best Goaltender for Minto Cup tournament play.
Labels: Burnaby Lakers, Minto Cup 2007, New Westminster Salmonbellies, Six Nations Arrows Express
Bellies lose to Lakers in Junior A
It's a pity the
Junior A Salmonbellies couldn't hold the strong lead they had on the
Burnaby Lakers in the first period. By the end of the first the Bellies had 4 points to the Lakers' 1, with both teams having taken 15 shots on net. In the second period, the Bellies managed to gain one more point, while the Lakers moved up to 4. What was shocking, though, was the number of shots on net by the end of the second (23 for the Bellies; 41 for the Lakers). The Bellies couldn't score at all in the third period (and took only 10 shots on net), while the Lakers managed to gain another 3 points, including the winning goal in the final two minutes of play. Final score:
Lakers 7, Bellies 6.
MVP for the Burnaby team was runner Dane Dobbie, while goalie Craig Robertson took the MVP award for the Salmonbellies.
Cliff Sepka, member of the 1953 Minto Cup winning team, the New Westminster Salmonacs (Salmonbellies + Adanacs), performed an honorary face-off at the start of the game. Members from the 1953 Salmonacs and the 1960 and 1994 Minto-winning Salmonbellies teams took part in a brief ceremony and photo op during the first intermission. The 1953 team was the first New Westminster team to ever win the Minto Cup.
At the time of his retirement from the sport, Sepka was the all-time WLA scorer with 746 goals, 581 assists (a total of 1327 points over 484 games). His jersey, number 19, is retired. His brother Don, who also played '53, was present tonight as well.
Labels: 1953, Burnaby Lakers, Cliff Sepka, Craig Robertson, Dane Dobbie, Don Sepka, New Westminster Salmonbellies, Salmonacs
Here we go...
The Adanacs beat the Lakers and now advance to the WLA finals. The first game is tomorrow night and, like my lacrosse buddy says, "it's going to be a bloodbath."
Here's what
The Record has to say: "One of the most heated rivalries in the history of the Western Lacrosse Association is on again. The New Westminster Salmonbellies will play the unfriendly host to the Coquitlam Adanacs in Game 1 of the best-of-seven Western Lacrosse Association final at Queen's Park Arena Thursday."
I don't mind a rough game, but the Salmonbellies really don't need to lose any more players to injury.
Labels: Burnaby Lakers, Coquitlam Adanacs, Salmonbellies, WLA finals
Lakers lead Adanacs
The Lakers won again tonight and now lead the Adanacs 2-1 in the playoff series. I followed the game on
Pointstreak. The two teams were tied at one apiece at the end of the first period, but the Lakers jumped ahead in the second, gaining eight points to the Adanacs' five. Burnaby took another two in the third period and gave one to the Adanacs, making the final score 11-7.
Tomorrow at Queen's Park, the Salmonbellies meet the Timbermen for the third time. The 'Bellies lead the series 2-0.
Labels: Burnaby Lakers, Coquitlam Adanacs
It's official
The
New Westminster Salmonbellies are now in first place, with no chance of being removed, after beating the Burnaby Lakers 12-7 this evening at Queen's Park Arena. This is apparently the first time the Bellies have finished the season in first place since 1985. That year, they lost the cup challenge to the Brooklin Redmen. After winning the first three games, they gave up four. The following year, however, they did manage to win the cup.
Tonight's game was interesting. The reffing was bizarre--that's the only way to describe it. In the first period, several times the refs called too many men and little else. In the second period, they missed a lot of calls against both teams--important calls, such as holding, tripping, and more. And in the third period, they definitely favoured Burnaby, ignoring for example, when Burnaby's Adam Smith flipped over Salmonbellies'
Kyle Ross by grabbing him behind the knees, and remained on top of him. They didn't even attempt to pull the two apart until Ross managed to get out from under Smith and was ready to throw a few punches. At that point, both players were given five-minute penalties. Why they didn't call it when it was obviously one-sided is beyond me. Like the two avid fans behind me said, "Get a green shirt, ref" since the refs were obviously favouring the green Lakers.
Athan Ianucci was the first star of the game, and it's no wonder. He did an outstanding job. The only time he messed up was when he fell into a fighting trap that Burnaby had set, and ended up in the penalty box.
Matt Disher played well after a slightly shaky start. His most impressive play of the game was when he was wrestling with a Lakers' player midway to the centre line, and still managed to make a save on a ball that was heading directly for the open net. Burnaby goalie, Curtis Palidwor, had a great game, letting in only 11 of 51 shots (for some reason,
Pointstreak lists only 47 shots on net). Why the Burnaby coach replaced him at this point is anyone's guess.
And my favourite moment of the game was when the man seated behind me yelled out, "I'd get rid of
Conn before he does something stupid!" Seconds later, an angry Conn breaks away, gets the goalie dancing, and scores the Bellies' 12th goal of the game. Good stuff.
Labels: Burnaby Lakers, Conn, Disher, first place, Mann Cup, Palidwor, Ross, Salmonbellies, Smith
Tri-City News account of Saturday's game
Here's what
Tri-City News has to say about Saturday's game. But don't let the last paragraph fool you. The 'Bellies don't take on the Burnaby Lakers until
Thursday, July 19, at Queen's Park Arena.
Labels: Burnaby Lakers, Queen's Park, Tri-City News
