As New Westminster Salmonbellies’ head coach bills it, the matchup between his team and the Peterborough Lakers will be a case of speed vs. speed.
It’s enough to make Usain Bolt reconsider his retirement.
New West’s Steve Goodwin isn’t telegraphing his game strategy when he says his club will continue to push speed and transition on the floorboards of Queen’s Park Arena. It’s just what they’ve done all season long.
“We have, honestly, two very similarly built teams,” said the ’Bellies bench boss. “These teams have weathered a storm to get here but I see the games being very much a track meet.
“They are going to run, and we’re going to run.”
Breaking into the offensive zone and setting up shop with the defence in pursuit will be the first objective for both clubs.
The Lakers’ offence presents a formidable challenge for New West’s defenders, as five of the top eight Ontario Major Series’ scoring leaders call Peterborough home – including 2017 scoring champion and 2010 Mann Cup MVP Shawn Evans. Among the other shooters to watch for are the league’s No. 2 top scorer, Kyle Buchanan, and top goal scorer Holden Cattoni, who potted 48 goals in 16 games.
At the other end of the ledger, New West’s attackers Mitch Jones, Kevin Crowley, Logan Schuss and Joel McCready will be making life difficult for the Lakers’ netminding tandem of Evan Kirk and Matt Vinc.
The two ball stoppers split the playoffs crease duty, posting near-identical numbers except in the wins-losses department – with Kirk going 5-0, while Vinc’s record sits at 3-3.
That Peterborough’s lineup includes 21 players who were full-time National Lacrosse Leaguers this past winter season, compared to New West’s dozen. Both placed a player on the NLL’s All-Pro second all-star team: Dickson for the Lakers, and Crowley for New West. They also had a player each on the All-Rookie squad in Josh Currier and Mike Messenger.
Goodwin’s own Mann Cup experience dates back to 1990 as a member of the Vancouver Burrards, where the B.C. champions were swept 4-0 by a Brooklin team led by Gary and Paul Gait.
“We were out-matched in 1990, even with a rookie John Tavares on our side,” he recalled. “It’s funny – that year we had a Goodwin, a Malcom and a Jones on our team, and this time we’ve got a couple of Goodwins (Justin and Brandon), a (Anthony) Malcom and a Jones.”
Peterborough defeated Six Nations in five games, after finishing the regular season with a league-best 17-1 record.
The one aspect that is undeniably in favour of the ’Bellies – venerable Queen’s Park Arena – will present a case of comfort and familiarity that few of the Lakers have enjoyed.
“It’s a huge benefit for us, because it’s a smaller floor (dimensions), the home crowd and just being at home,” noted Goodwin. “You look at our record over the past eight weeks at Queen’s Park and we’ve done very well.
“We play better at home because there’s that comfort zone. We know what to expect, and we expect a big, noisy crowd.”
The last time Queen’s Park hosted the Mann Cup was in 2009, when New West led entering the final minute of Game 7 before Brampton rallied to tie it, then win it in overtime.
There are only three holdovers from that New West team – captain Curtis Hodgson, Ian Hawksbee and Shayne Bennett – who also went on in 2010 to lose to Peterborough in six games.
New West has won the Mann Cup 24 times, most recently in 1991. Peterborough is the second-most successful franchise, with 14 titles in 24 trips to the final.
For Goodwin, the opportunity to play for a Mann Cup is just as unique as hockey’s Stanley Cup.
“My own experience was 27 years ago, so that’s 27 years between Mann Cups for me,” said the coach. “You look at it as an incredibly special and rare opportunity, to compete for a Canadian championship. A lot of the players in this series will have been to a Minto Cup or a NLL final, so they know what it takes. This is the toughest of championships to win in your chosen sport – this is the pinnacle.”
The Mann Cup begins Friday, 7:30 p.m. at Queen’s Park Arena. The schedule for the remaining games are Sept. 9, 11, 12, and if necessary, Aug. 13, 15 and 16. All games are at Queen’s Park Arena, with a start time of 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available online at www.wlalacrosse.com.
