The New Westminster Senior A Salmonbellies topped the Western Lacrosse Association’s regular season standings – and are continuing their quest for a 25th Mann Cup.
When their regular season came to an end on Saturday night, the Bellies had clinched top spot in the WLA, after seesawing back and forth between second place and a first-place tie for first place with the Langley Thunder. The Bellies finished the season with a 15-3 record, just as they did in 2018 – the last time the team was tops in the WLA.
“Finishing first is a great accomplishment for us, but securing home floor throughout the playoffs was huge,” said general manager Ray Porcellato. “We turned the page on our 15-3 regular season on the ferry ride home from Nanaimo Saturday night and are now only focused on the WLA semi-final against Victoria Shamrocks.”
The Bellies will face the fourth-place Victoria Shamrocks beginning Wednesday, Aug 2 at Queen’s Park Arena and will return home on Wednesday, Aug. 9. All games in the best-of-five semi-final series start at 6:30 p.m.
“The Bellies are going into the playoffs strong, on the momentum of a four-game win streak,” said a press release from the Salmonbellies. “They last lost 11-6 in a game in Victoria July 14, but the New West team was missing a staggering eight regulars. When Victoria visited Queen's Park a week later, the Bellies returned the favour, taking a 10-7 victory over the Shamrocks. The season series was won by New West, who had squeaked out a tough 8-7 victory over Victoria at the Q on June 23.”
Tickets are on-sale now at Salmonbellies.com, but they can also be purchased at the box office at Queen’s Park Arena.
Haiden Dickson, who was named the WLA's Rookie of the Year in 2022, was the top goal-scorer in the league this season. After scoring his 50th goal in the team’s final home game of the year on July 27, Dickson ended the season with a hat-trick in Nanaimo on Saturday night.
Dickson’s 53 goals was nine more than Nanaimo’s Zach Manns, who was second in goals but first in the league in points.
“It was Dickson’s second year as the league’s top goal-getter,” said the press release. “No Salmonbellies player has reached the 50-goal threshold since Athan Iannucci in 2007 (with 51 goals).”
Dickson is also the squad’s iron man, having played all 18 games in both of the last two seasons. No other player has been in the lineup for every single game.
Other highlights from the 2023 regular season for the Bellies included finishing with the best goals-per game average (11.4) in the WLA.
Keegan Bal, who returned to the team this season, was first in the league with 6.4 points per game, while teammates Mitch Jones was second at 6.2 and Kevin Crowley was fourth at 5.2.
Goaltenders Neil Tyacke and Zach Higgins are also in the top 5 in goal ending overall, with nearly identical save averages (82.5 per cent versus 82.6 per cent). Tyacke has been with the team all season, while Higgins, who played with the Bellies in 2022, arrived mid-season.
Feed the fish
The New Westminster Senior A Salmonbellies started the 2023 season with one goal in mind – to hoist the Mann Cup.
In July, Salmonbellies president Paul Horn noted that some things have changed in the team’s 135-year history – the biggest change being the cost of keeping a competitive team on the wooden floor at Queen’s Park Arena.
There is no question that we have a team that can compete for both the WLA championship and the Mann Cup,” he wrote in a July 18 post on the club’s website. “We are driven to compete for the Mann Cup here at Queen’s Park in 2023 and we are committed to bringing Mann Cup number 25 to New Westminster. That would make us the most successful sports franchise in Canadian history (in any sport!).”
To make that happen, the club has been working hard to raise funds. It’s reached out to fans, alumni and supporters to help raise money through a Feed the Fish fundraiser.
As of Aug. 2, the Feed the Fish playoff run had raised $4,403 of its $20,000 goal.
“Thanks to a generous alumnus, every dollar you donate will be matched, up to a total of $10,000,” Horn wrote.
According to Horn, other ways to support the team including buying tickets to games, purchasing merchandise at the Salmonbellies store in Queen’s Park Arena (open during games) and sponsoring rink boards (which stay up all year) at Queen’s Park Arena.
“We have an exceptional team on the floor in 2023,” wrote Horn. “Help us go all the way for New Westminster!”
