Photo courtesy of: David Pickering
The Peterborough Century 21 Lakers played well enough for 53 minutes on Tuesday night to hold on for a 12-8 win over the Six Nations Chiefs at the Memorial Centre. The win ties the MSL Final series at two games apiece, meaning the series is down to a best of three to determine who will host the Mann Cup.
Game 5 is Thursday in Six Nations at 8 p.m., with Game 6 set for Sunday night at 7 p.m. back at the Memorial Centre. If necessary, Game 7 will be next Tuesday, September 1 in Six Nations.
Peterborough took an 11-2 lead into the third period, hanging on at that score until Dhane Smith broke through on a power play with 7:07 left. Three more goals ensued in the next two minutes, which cut the lead to 11-6. Late power plays allowed the Chiefs to close the gap even further before Matt Gilray scored into the empty net off a Jake Withers faceoff win.
“We came out with a purpose and played a great game,” said goaltender Nick Rose. “The third period is what it is. That’s going to happen in lacrosse. Teams are going to find goals and penalties are going to happen but overall we can be pretty satisfied with our performance.”
Rose made 56 saves: 17 in the first period, 16 in the second and 23 in the third as the Chiefs pressed.
“We knew they were going to have a push. There are all-world players over there. You’re not going to hold them down for an entire game.”
Head coach Mike Hasen called it Rose’s best game ever in a Lakers uniform.
“He’s playing exceptionally well, and it leads out from there,” Hasen praised.
The Lakers had their best start of the playoffs, building up a 6-0 first period lead. Justin Sykes quick-sticked the ball in from the front of the net just 55 seconds into the game. Thomas Hoggarth made it 2-0 at 4:26. Taite Cattoni scored a pair of nearly identical outside shots four minutes apart, prompting the Chiefs to pull Warren Hill in favour of Doug Jamieson. Jamieson held down the fort for about five and a half minutes before Ryan Lanchbury, with a wicked underhand, and Brad McCulley, with a quick stick on the crease, scored late power play goals.
Braedon Saris kicked off the second period by scoring on a rebound. Nate Sage took one for the team, earning the Lakers a five-minute power play, after he was pushed into the boards by Ian MacKay before Kyle Rubisch came in with the late hit up high. Cattoni took just 18 seconds to score his third of the game. His fourth came at the other end of the major penalty, though the Chiefs were able to kill off a five-on-three in the interim.
Lyle Thompson finally got the Chiefs on the board at the 13:24 mark after he finished off Latrell Harris’ transition pass. Gilray responded three minutes later, converting Withers’ cross-floor pass while shorthanded for the Lakers’ 10th goal. Dawson Theede scored 24 seconds later, on the power play, but it was Rob Hellyer who had the last laugh of the period, launching an outside shot into the back of the net.
Warren Hill returned to the Chiefs net for the third period, likely to rest Jamieson who will start Thursday.
“We did the right things in the first two periods,” said Cattoni. “We have to work on finishing the game obviously. We took some penalties and did the things we couldn’t do, but a win’s a win in the playoffs and they’re never easy. That’s a great team and we found a way to get a win here at home.”
There was a melee with five seconds left in the game – Andrew Kew received a five-miniute major for cross checking Colton Armstrong to the floor, while Ian MacKay pulled off captain Robert Hope’s helmet and delivered a couple of punches to his jaw. Everyone else on the floor grappled with a member of the opposition. MacKay, Kew, Withers and Armstrong each received 10-minute misconducts, as did Dustyn Birkhof and Tyler Biles after they had words when lining up for the play to restart.
The Boro will host a Watch Party for Game 5 on Thursday beginning at 8 p.m. at Quaker Square downtown. Tickets for Game 6 go on sale Thursday morning at 10 a.m. via Ticketmaster and the Doane Grant Thornton Box Office.
“There are no guarantees against the Six Nations Chiefs,” said Rose. “We’re going to have to win one on the road, we might as well make it the next game and see if we can’t come back home and try to finish it off.”
(Article submitted by: Anna Taylor, Social Media Coordinator with the Century 21 Lakers)
