The New Westminster Salmonbellies are still treading early-season turbulence.
The Western Lacrosse Association club has displayed two different sides of the coin en route to a 2-3 start to the 2017 season.
Heading into Thursday night's contest against Coquitlam at Queen’s Park Arena, the squad hopes it can build on last Saturday’s 9-4 win in Nanaimo and put last week’s stinker – a 14-9 loss to Burnaby – behind them.
It's anyone's guess which version will appear, although confidence inside the dressing room is still strong.
“I think what we’re seeing is just the process of us figuring out how to play as a team,” remarked captain Curtis Hodgson. “Our expectations are high in New West, but we haven’t had all our players in uniform yet.”
Two days removed after a disappointing third period disappearance on their own home floor, New West looked in command much of the night while keeping the host Timbermen at bay.
The ’Bellies led 6-2 after two periods, thanks to a quick 3-0 jump out of the gates. The defence stood its ground, while Jakob Doucet counted three goals and Brandon Goodwin chipped in a pair. Also scoring were Zach Herreweyers, Mitch Jones, Daniel McQuade and Nathan Stewart. Alex Buque turned aside 39 shots in the win.
Against Burnaby, New West traded goals with the Lakers until late in the middle frame, when the visitors pulled away and out-scored the 'Bellies 5-2 over the final 20 minutes.
"I thought Burnaby deserved to win that one, they came out and took it to us in the third. ... We started slow last year and we've really made a lot of changes," noted Hodgson. "It takes some time and some work, and we have some players who are still coming back. We're confident that we'll get to where we want to be."
Logan Schuss, who missed the Nanaimo game, tallied twice and set up four others, while Herreweyers scored three times.
The club expects to have Brett Mydske and Mike Messenger in the lineup for tonight’s game.
