A five-goal deficit isn’t how you prefer to start a game, but for the defending national champion Coquitlam junior A Adanacs, it proved to be a minor obstacle en route to their latest win.
Coquitlam roared back from a 6-1 deficit Tuesday to knock off the New Westminster Salmonbellies 9-8 on Tuesday, to increase their hold on first place in the B.C. Junior A Lacrosse League.
Down 4-0 after 20 minutes and by five with 25 minutes left in the contest, the Adanacs deployed a work-harder attitude to overtake the ‘Bellies, who were aiming to grab a share of first place in the standings with a win.
Coquitlam made the comeback look easy, even if it wasn't.
“We were just thinking about the next shift, winning the little battles and not worrying about the outcome,” said Coquitlam forward John Hofseth. “Coming into the second (period) we were a little down but there’s no time to feel sorry for ourselves. We just had to come out and work hard.”
They did just that, with the second-year sniper counting back-to-back identical rockets from the high slot to first tie the score, and 42 seconds later, give the Adanacs its first lead.
“I had a few chances early in the game that weren’t dropping, (but) I finally got my rhythm down and was lucky to get those two,” said Hofseth.
While Carter Dickson pounced on a powerplay to draw New West even 7-7 with 4:15 left in the third, the visitors reclaimed the momentum and pushed ahead with markers from Ethan Ticehurst, on a breakaway, and the game winner by Keenan Koswin.
Although New West closed the gap to one with 29 seconds remaining, they were unable to regain control of the ball for a serious threat.
It was a completely different story to start the game, when Dickson counted three goals in the first period and defending league scoring champion Connor Robinson added another as New West put the Adanacs in a 4-0 hole after 20 minutes. While the visitors got on the scoreboard 20 seconds into the middle frame, Jeremy Bosher and Robinson reclaimed the momentum for New West -- momentarily. The next six goals came off Adanacs sticks to turn the tables.
It was the second time this season that the Minto Cup champions, who improved to 13-1, had beaten New West by a one-goal margin.
“We feel we’re right with them. Both times we played them we lost by a goal,” noted ‘Bellies coach Todd Stockdale. “For the most part we feel we are right with them. One bounce one way or another we could have had them tonight. They got the bounces tonight and put them in the net.”
Bosher, Dickson and Robinson all finished with five-point nights, but would have traded them for a 'W.'
“It was a great start. That’s how we like to come out -- fast, up the floor and move the ball; that kind of thing," said Stockdale.. "It was a great first period for us. We were just hitting the holes. ... Our guys can compete. They were competing with them. If you go through the rosters I feel we’re right with them in every step of the way. We just have to put a full 60 minutes together and we should be fine."
New West sits second with a 11-3 record.
Their next game is Friday in Port Coquitlam. On Sunday, New West hosts Nanaimo, 5 p.m., at Queen's Park Arena.
The Adanacs’ next test comes Sunday, 2 p.m. when they host the Victoria Shamrocks at the Poirier Sports Centre.
