Never before has such a young team looked so good, so early in the season.
That is the opinion of at least one witness following the New Westminster Salmonbellies second straight B.C. Junior Lacrosse League win.
The junior A Salmonbellies executed a precise 16-4 victory over the visiting Nanaimo Timbermen last Sunday.
What saved the T-men from a complete blowout was the goalkeeping of starter Peter Dubenski, who weathered 56 shots before giving way to backup Nate Clark partway through the third period.
"Every game and every shift we have to go like it was a 00 game," said third-year runner Daniel Perreault.
New West started the game with just such an attitude, scoring first on the first of four markers by first-year junior Josh Byrne.
Byrne, who had 12 goals in 13 games as a intermediate callup last season, garnered nine points in the Sunday outing and currently leads all league scorers with eight goals and 18 total points.
Luke Gillespie and first-years Jeremy Bosher, Nathan Stewart and Brenden Ranford, with his first career Jr. A tally, built up a 5-0 first-period lead before Nanaimo finally managed to get one by keeper Ross Bowman.
New West kept up the attack in the middle frame but scored just once on 18 chances thanks to Dubenski.
But Byrne's power-play goal midway through the period dribbled through Dubenski's pads, starting off another flurry of goal-scoring on both sides.
The junior 'Bellies led 9-3 heading into the final period after assaulting Dubenski with 31 shots on goal in the period.
Chris Nasato kept the momentum going for New West to start the final frame, adding his second of the year from the left crease.
Perreault picked up his fifth of the year on a shorthanded break, and Connor Robinson tallied back-to-back markers - giving the first-year callup four goals and eight points to start the season.
Tyrell Hammer-Jackson also got his first two junior A counters before Byrne buried his final shot in the back of the Nanaimo net.
With just three final-year players in Sunday's line-up, New West looked ready for not just this season, but many more to come.
The on-floor poise is coming from a core group of young players who have played many seasons of minor ball together, and plenty of practice time to prepare for this campaign, said Perrault.
"It starts from the top with the third-year players rallying the guys and setting the tone about what junior A lacrosse is all about," Perreault said.
New West's special team play is also an aspect of the game that other clubs cannot take lightly.
In their last two outings, the 'Bellies have counted eight power-play goals and back-to-back three-goal games while shorthanded.
Luke Gillespie, Bosher and Byrne could well be dubbed the Rag-Time line before the junior season is over.
With four key senior starters still to suit up for the 'Bellies, Perreault said it's up to whoever gets the callup to pitch in.
"We're going with what we got and we've got real good, talented guys," he said. "This group is like a family. We're in it together."
New West played Tuesday after Record deadlines.
