2018 Playoffs Underway, Redmen Drop First Game

The 2018 MSL semi-finals started on two fronts tonight, the Redmen were in Peterborough for game one and the Six Nations Chiefs travelled to Oakville to open that series against the Rock. Only one road team would win, unfortunately for Redmen fans it was the Chiefs in Oakville by a final of 8-5. The Lakers handed the Redmen a 13-8 loss for the 1-0 series lead, game two is set for a return to the Memorial Centre on Tuesday August 7, 2018. The series switches to IPSC for games three and four, Wednesday August 8 and Friday August 10 both at 8 pm and during the Ontario Lacrosse Festival which will make for great atmosphere. 

The Lakers opened the scoring and added three straight goals in under a minute to take the 4-2 lead to the dressing room for the first break of the night. 

The home side rattled off three unanswered to open the middle frame before Chris Corbeil scored at 8:53 to stem the tide, the Lakers took that period by a score of 5-3 for a 9-5 lead after forty minutes.

The Redmen showed some fight in the final period as Curtis Knight scored at 0:33, however a second unanswered run of three goals by the Lakers would be too much of a hole and they took game one by the 13-8 final. 

The teams are off for the long weekend and game two is back in Peterborough on Tuesday, with games three and four at IPSC on Wednesday and Friday.

Scorers for the Redmen were Corbeil, two for Knight, three for Dan Lintner and singles to Reilly O'Connor and Ryan Keenan. Mike Poulin took the loss and Doug Buchan got the nod from Mike Hasen in the Peterborough net.

Referees Roger Nurse and Andrew Ecclestone were busy as they assessed the Redmen 42 penalty minutes on 13 infractions and the Lakers 46 minutes on 15 infractions, the Redmen were 4 for 6 on the man advantage while the Lakers were 3 for 3 when up a man. 

Congratulations to Redmen Head Coach Derek Keenan named the National Lacrosse League Coach of the Year as he guided his Saskatchewan Rush to their third championship title in four years and to Redmen Graeme Hossack, named the NLL Defender of the Year for his play with the Rochester Knighthawks.