Now that’s how you do a season opener.
The New Westminster Salmonbellies got pushed a little but pushed back more to kick off the 2017 Western Lacrosse Association season with a 12-7 victory over the Nanaimo Timbermen last week.
Scoring in two-goal streaks, the ‘Bellies never trailed, taking a 4-1 lead into the second period and increased its lead to five goals with 20 minutes to play.
It was a result of the team’s fast-moving transition attack that kept the ball heading down floor, and an effort that brought a smile to coach Steve Goodwin’s face.
“It felt pretty good, but as I tell the guys it was just one game and you can’t get too up, can’t get too down after that,” said Goodwin. “We’re in the same boat as a number of teams who are waiting for players yet to arrive, but I thought we really moved the ball well and set the pace.”
Up 4-1, Logan Schuss tallied 33 seconds into the middle frame and was followed 31 seconds later by newcomer Sean Tyrell before Nanaimo replied with two of their own.
New West would douse any rally attempt by the visitors with five straight markers, including three to start the third period, and never looked back.
With offence relying so much on chemistry and synchronicity, Goodwin was very pleased with how smoothly the players – some who had few if any practices together since the end of the NLL regular season – seemed to step up with the quick-pass game plan.
“We had over 60 shots and had a lot of opportunities to score more,” said Goodwin. “The only thing stopping it from being a lot more was Nanaimo’s goalie (Peter Dubenski). He was outstanding.”
Schuss picked up where he left off from the National Lacrosse League season, where he registered a goal-a-game with the Vancouver Stealth.
The 26-year-old lefthander scored three times and set up four others, while Mitch Jones also picked up a hat trick.
Anthony Malcom scored twice and assisted on three more, while Daniel McQuade, returning to the New West lineup after a two-year absence, also tallied twice.
“(Schuss) is a leader on our offence and we are going to expect big games like this from him all season,” said Goodwin. “He’s kind of the straw that stirs the drink, offensively… I’ve been around (Malcom) his whole life and know what he’s capable of doing. He has so much potential and can do so many things others can’t, so my expectations are he’s going to build on this and get better and better.”
Rounding out the offence were Mark Negrin and Tyrell.
Tye Belanger was also making his debut in the red, white and blue, and he was sharp in stopping 32 shots.
Now the challenge is to repeat that feat against the high-flying Victoria Shamrocks tonight (Thursday, 7:30 p.m. at Queen’s Park Arena).
Victoria is already 2-0 on the year after beating Langley (10-9) and Burnaby (11-6). Considering how they continue to bring eastern players west and are perennial Mann Cup challengers, Goodwin feels it’s a matchup that is guaranteed to be intense.
“I think every game with Victoria becomes a physical game, but we can play it that way, too,” said the coach. “Our best strategy is to stay with our game plan and make them run. … We’re not going to worry too much about changing our game for an opponent, but we want to force them to run with us.”
Without tipping his hand, Goodwin noted that with two strong netminders in Alex Buque and Belanger – both coming off solid seasons in the NLL – he wants to give guys a chance to get in the game sooner than later.
“We have to extremely good goaltenders, but I’m not going to forecast who’s going (to play),” he said. “I like to give each some playing time to start the year and let them get onto a roll.”
The ‘Bellies will have recently signed Zack Herreweyers in the lineup, fresh off a plane from Ontario.
The London, Ont. native just wrapped up his senior year at Loyola University, where he tallied 103 goals over 42 games, and is coming off a rookie season with the NLL’s Colorado Mammoth.
Without any practice time with his new teammates, the lefthanded Herreweyers will roll right into the lineup, with the coach expecting a transition period for the six-foot-one offensive player.
“It can be tough (coming in cold) but he did play with the (NLL) Mammoth and knows a few of the guys,” said Goodwin.
After tonight’s game against Victoria, New West ventures to Coquitlam for a game Saturday night (7 p.m. faceoff).
