Practice made near-perfect for the New Westminster Salmonbellies in their B.C. Junior Lacrosse League home opener.
The junior A Salmonbellies showed a surprising level of fitness and a crispness of passing for a first-of-the-season game, running away with a 10-4 victory over the visiting Nanaimo Timbermen at Queen's Park Arena on Sunday.
In a fast-paced first period that was completed in less than 30 minutes, New West scored three times in a three-minute span to take control of the back-and-forth matchup.
Ontario junior B transfer Kyle Dobbie made a memorable debut with the 'Bellies, counting four goals and adding three more to garner The Record player of the game honours.
Dobbie tallied the eventual game-winner with his second of the game in a three-goals-in-one-minute New West flurry late in the middle frame.
The 19-year-old righthander also figured in on all four Salmonbellie goals in the final stanza.
"I love playing lacrosse. It's one of the true things I like to do, and when I come to a place like this with the wood floor and a good fan base, it's huge," said Dobbie.
Kyle, a younger brother of NLL star and 2010 Western Lacrosse Association scoring champion Dane Dobbie, also put up impressive numbers in three seasons with the Elora Mohawks of the Mid West division Ontario champions.
Kyle scored 104 total goals, including 35 last season with the Mohawks. He also garnered 262 points in league and playoffs while with Elora.
He finished 10th in overall junior B scoring last season with 87 points, including 52 helpers.
"It's what we like from guys who play into our system and he (Dobbie) is perfect for the system we run," said New Westminster head coach Dan Perreault.
New West got its first goal of the new season from Burnaby free agent Drew House on a power play.
A minute later, Dobbie went to work, setting up Jakob Doucet for a shorthanded marker, before scoring his first-ever junior A goal on a well-executed power play.
Intermediate callup Nathan Stewart also collected a pair of goals for the home team.
First-year goalie Ross Bowman had a super start for the 'Bellies, making 40 saves including 15 in both the first and second periods.
"It was a good start," Perrault added. "We worked really hard with our conditioning, but it's still early. There's a lot of new faces but they played well."
New Westminster travels to Nanaimo on Saturday for a return date with the Timbermen.
The Salmonbellies then start their usual Tuesday home stands at Queen's Park on Tuesday, May 8 against the Delta Islanders. Game time is 8 p.m.
