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Burrards blitz to Game 1 win over 'Bellies

In what could only be described as a head-shaker, the Maple Ridge Burrards launched the best-of-seven Western Lacrosse Association semifinal with a pristine first period en route to shocking the regular season champion New Westminster Salmonbellies 1
Newwest Bellies
The New Westminster Salmonbellies will try to regroup after Thursday's shocking 13-5 loss to Maple Ridge in Game 1 of their semifinal series.

In what could only be described as a head-shaker, the Maple Ridge Burrards launched the best-of-seven Western Lacrosse Association semifinal with a pristine first period en route to shocking the regular season champion New Westminster Salmonbellies 13-5 at Queen's Park Arena on Thursday.

Once again, undisputable proof in the old saying that the regular season means diddly.

The visiting underdogs struck for eight unanswered goals in the first 20 minutes, subduing the league's No. 1 defence and hushing the most potent -- at least by regular season standards -- offence.

Dan Taylor's goal 36 seconds into the contest began a barrage that chased New West netminder Alexis Buque from the crease after 20 shots in 17 minutes -- and a 7-0 lead. Six different Maple Ridge players tallied in the opening period, with Curtis Dickson and Ben McIntosh netting two apiece.

The 'Bellies' Jordan McBride put one up for the home team 4:17 into the middle frame, but the Burrards responded with a  deafening rebuke, scoring four times to push their lead to 12-1. Although Anthony Malcom and Logan Schuss notched goals for the 'Bellies to end the period on a positive note, it remained a nine-goal gap. It may as well have been a trillion.

In the third period, Malcom and Curtis Hodgson sandwiched New West goals around Dickson's fifth of the night. The former New West junior and one of Peterborough's stars last year in the Mann Cup final rattled off 16 shots on goal while pacing his squad to a 1-0 series lead. Maple Ridge outshot the 'Bellies 58-47.

New West won the league crown with a 15-3-0 record, sweeping the three games against Maple Ridge, who placed fourth at 9-8-1.

The other semifinal opened a day earlier when the underdog Nanaimo Timbermen edged Victoria Shamrocks 12-11 in sudden-death overtime.

Game 2 in the New West-Maple Ridge series goes Saturday, 7:30 p.m. at the Cam Neely Arena. Game 3 returns to New West on Monday, 7:30 p.m., with a fourth game is slated for Wednesday in Maple Ridge.