New Westminster moved into a three-way tie for second place in the B.C. Junior Lacrosse League with wins over Port Coquitlam and Delta last week.
The junior A Salmonbellies opened with a 10-7 win in a return match over the Saints in Port Coquitlam on Friday. The 'Bellies then handed the first-place Islanders their third straight loss with a come-from-behind 12-9 victory in Ladner on Saturday.
The wins improved the Salmonbellies' record to 4-3 - New West had an earlier fifth victory defaulted to Nanaimo because of an ineligible player.
Delta currently is in sole possession of first place with a 5-3 record.
"It was a tough game, but the difference was a great third period," New Westminster head coach Dan Perreault said of the win over Delta. "It was a very, very good effort - no quit and in the third quarter (the balls) started to go in."
Josh Byrne, who led all scorers with four goals, scored them all in the comeback third period, including the eventual game-winner at 17: 07 on Kyle Dobbie's game-best sixth assist of the matchup.
Connor Robinson also registered his first Jr. A hat trick with a goal in each of the three periods.
Seventeen-year-old Jeremy Bosher potted a pair to tie him with Byrne for the team lead with 13 goals to date.
Quinn Smith, who scored a goal and earned an assist as a callup with the senior A Salmonbellies on Sunday, also had a five-point night, including his fifth and sixth goals of the year.
Frank Scigliano made 31 stops in the New West nets.
In PoCo, rookie Nathan Stewart garnered his first hat trick, scoring four times to double his season output to date at eight markers in his first six games this season.
Bosher also contributed three goals and one assist to move up to ninth in league scoring.
"PoCo gave a much better effort," Perreault said, adding the league is beginning to unfold like many of the pundits predicted.
"In the next couple of weeks things are going to sort themselves out," Perreault added.
On Thursday, New West is in Langley to take on the 4-1 Thunder at the Langley Events Centre.
The following Tuesday, the junior Salmonbellies are back at Queen's Park Arena for a rematch with Langley on May 28. Game time is at 8 p.m.
