The white-knuckle Western Lacrosse Association playoff race just got a whole lot more exciting following New Westminster's 10-9 upset win over first-place Langley on Thursday.
The win tightened up a six-team race already arguably stretched to a breaking point, leaving just seven points between the top six teams still in the hunt for one of four spots in the WLA post season.
With the best home record in the league, New Westminster has two games left at Queen's Park Arena, including this Thursday's matchup against the Nanaimo Timbermen.
The T-Men are currently sitting in sixth place with 13 points and five games remaining, while the 'Bellies are knotted at 14 points with both Victoria and Coquitlam, who they play Tuesday in the capital city and July 26 at home, respectively.
Corbyn Tao led the Salmonbellies with four points, including the game-winning goal at 16:08 of the final period with his second marker of the match.
Just seconds earlier, Jordan McBride tied the game with his 11th goal of the year.
Prior to Tao's winner, the New West club had held a pair of brief leads for less than five total minutes in the game.
The difference was the goalkeeping of regular backup and third star Neil Tyacke, who stopped 46 of 55 shots in his start in goal. Brodie MacDonald made just 36 saves in the Langley cage.
Former Salmonbellie forward Kerry Susheski led all scorers with four goals and five points.
