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Salmonbellies reached a turning point, says coach

Learning how to win those close one-goal and two-goal games is the next step, said New Westminster Salmonbellies head coach
NW Salmonbellies
The New Westminster Salmonbellies have lost five games by two goals or less this season

A strong seven-goal third period against the league's best team just might be the turning point of the season for the New Westminster Salmonbellies.

That's the feeling head coach Steve Goodwin is taking into the remainder of the Western Lacrosse Association season following New Westminster's 11-10 loss at the Q Center in Victoria on Saturday.

"We took some risks against Victoria and went on a 7-1 run. We needed something to lift our confidence and we're hoping that might have been a turning point for us," said Goodwin. "That's what it felt like."

Trailing 10-3 after 40 minutes, second-year Salmonbellie Richard Lachlan got the visitors going with his first of two third-period goals at 2:16.

The two teams swapped single counters before Jeff Cornwall sparked a five-goal finish with an unassisted goal on the shortman.

Lachlan, Matt MacKenzie, Keegan Bal and team leading scorer Jordan McBride followed with single goals down the stretch that threw a scare into the Shamrock faithful at the Q Center.

"We always believed that we could compete," Goodwin said.

Now it's up to the guys in the locker room to take it to heart, he added.

New Westminster has lost five of its six league games by two goals or less this season. A goal either way, on the power play or five-on-five could have easily been the difference in any one of them, Goodwin said.

At home, New West allowed the visiting Nanaimo Timbermen to go home with an 11-9 win after letting the third period get away from them.

The T-Men chalked up six goals in the final frame, including an empty-net marker late in the period, before the Salmonbellies closed to within two, on McBride's pair tallied with the goalie out for a sixth attacker.

Neil Tyacke got the start against Nanaimo and stopped 40 shots for the 'Bellies. Alexis Buque picked up a game star in Victoria with 43 stops.

"It still comes down to goal scoring," said Goodwin. "When we lose a game by one goal, we're competing. When we learn how to win - we'll win."

But, it's going to take that extra effort from each one of the players, he added.

New West has back-to-back games on the road this week, beginning in Langley tonight (Wednesday) and then in Burnaby on Friday against the 5-3 Lakers. Game times are 7:45 p.m.