There’s an ironic twist to how the B.C. Junior Lacrosse League playoff final is shaping up.
The New Westminster Salmonbellies, last year’s upset winner over league champion Coquitlam Adanacs in the junior A final, find themselves in a similar position following a 7-4 loss to the A’s at Queen’s Park Arena on Wednesday.
The loss left the 20-1-1 league champs trailing Coquitlam 3-2 in the best-of-seven final series, with a potential Game 6 elimination game scheduled for the Poirier Sports Centre today (Friday).
“It was a tight game,” said New West head coach Dan Perreault. “It was a playoff game (tied) 4-4, and when you need a goal you have to generate something. But the ball didn’t go in for us.”
New West started well taking a 2-0 lead early in the first period on a long-range pair from Josh Byrne. Later in the period, Anthony Malcom got inside to make it 3-1, but it was tough sledding for the Salmonbellie attack the rest of the way.
Coquitlam keeper Pete Dubenski was solid throughout, stopping 36 shots in the game while allowing just one goal in the last 44:41 minutes of the game.
Rocky Bowman got the start for New West and faced 39 shots on goal. Game 4 winner Eric Penney was serving a one-game suspension for a high stick to the head.
The turnaround came midway through the middle period, when Tyler Pace sparked a three-goal mini-rally in a six-minute span to put the home team up 4-3 heading into the third period.
Luke Gillespie evened things up with a solo break down the floor at the two-minute mark, but Coquitlam came back again with goals a minute apart by team stars Wesley Berg and Eli McLaughlin.
Evan Wortley iced the game late in the contest for the A’s.
Both teams were playing with one-game suspensions to key players. A’s goalie Riley Camazzolo and coach Neil Doddridge will be out for a further one and two games, respectively.
“We have confidence in our guys that they can score. They will be better in the next (game),” said Perreault. “They know what’s on the line and what’s at stake. I expect we’ll come out flying on Friday.”
Game 6 of the best-of-seven final is in Coquitlam on Friday at 7:30 p.m. If necessary, a Game 7 will be back at Queen’s Park Arena on Sunday. Face off is scheduled for 8 p.m.
