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New West stops defending champions

The junior Salmonbellies buck a trend and best the Coquitlam Adanacs, setting the tone for a season-long rivalry
junior Salmonbellies
New West's Carter Dickson drew three assists and helped the junior A lacrosse team hand a rare defeat to the defending provincial champion Coquitlam Adanacs on Tuesday at Queen's Park Arena.

It’s just the first meeting of the season, but Tuesday’s showdown between the Coquitlam Adanacs and the New Westminster Salmonbellies laid the groundwork for more battles ahead.

The two B.C. junior A lacrosse titans – who’ve been dance partners for the provincial title for nearly a decade – exchanged shots and knocks with the ‘Bellies emerging as 7-5 victors at Queen’s Park Arena.

And although Coquitlam has held the upperhand on the provincial stage, Tuesday’s result is less a sign of the worm turning than it is of the cost of being book smart. Disappointed with the result, Coquitlam coach Pat Coyle was still pleased with the effort, considering his lineup remains bereft of 10 starters.

“(New West) played well, their goalie played well, but I don’t know if it says anything,” said Coyle. “We’re missing 10 guys so it’s hard to judge, but it was a good opportunity for some guys to show how they match up at this level.”

Key among the missing are offensive stars Thomas Semple, finishing his freshman year at the University of Denver, John Hofseth at Seton Hill, Baden Boyenko at Genesse University and team captain Reid Bowering of Drexel University. All are expected back within the next four weeks.

The Adanacs scored first but found themselves playing catch-up most of the night.

Tied 2-2 midway through the second, the ‘Bellies grabbed a 3-2 lead on Tre Leclaire’s 10th of the season. Gabe Procyk countered just over a minute later, but New West snapped in two tallies within 36 seconds, including a powerplay goal by Keegan Bell. The game winner came off the stick of Cam Garlin, who upped the lead to 6-3 with a shorthanded effort 5:28 into the third.

While the visitors got markers by Dennon Armstrong and Jalen Chaster in the third to close the gap to one, New West added insurance with 5:33 left on another Bell shot.

New West is also missing a handful of starters at university, but the absences on Coquitlam’s side of the ledger, including virtually the starting right side, has made the 3-1-1 start understandable, although not acceptable.

“We held our own, and I think defensively there’s a good take-away from (the game),” added Coyle.

Encouraging was the fact that the defence and netminder Christian Del Bianco held the ‘Bellies to seven goals and held the duo of Leclaire, a recent acquisition and 2016 league scoring champion, and Carter Dickson to just one goal.

For New West, Taylor Jensen and Bell finished with two goals each while Erik Maas added the other marker. Coquitlam out shot New West 38-37, with Erik Kratz collecting the win.

New West plays host to Victoria, who have started the season 4-2-1, on Sunday, 4 p.m. at Queen’s Park, and welcomes Burnaby to the arena on Tuesday for an 8 p.m. tilt.