A Complete Game Translates to BLC Victory

By Mark Stehlin

It was a complete performance in all facets of Brooklin's game tonight. The 13-5 win over the Oakville Rock, at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre, improved Brooklin's record to 2-1. The season may be young, but tonight's solid display should propel the squad going forward.  This marked their third game in five nights and second consecutive victory.

The opening frame started off well for the visitors as Chris Boushy notched his first of four on the night with just a minute and a half off the clock. Brooklin welcomed goaltender Steven Orleman to the team, fresh off his National Lacrosse League championship win with the Buffalo Bandits on Saturday.  Orleman came to Brooklin as a result of a trade with the Cobourg Kodiaks prior to the start of the season. Shots in the first period favoured Oakville by 22-16 but the scoreboard showed a 4-2 lead for Brooklin who demonstrated a solid defensive effort led by their new netminder. BLC fans in attendance were treated to a young team moving the ball up the floor with speed and determination throughout the game.

"It felt good to get the confidence of the boys in my first game with the team," said Orleman. 

"I'm going to miss the guys in Cobourg as I had some great years there, but I'm stoked about being in Brooklin and the guys in the dressing room welcomed me with open arms tonight," added Orleman.

It would be a series of quick transition plays by BLC that set the tone for the middle frame. With just over a minute off the clock a two-on-one break by Justin Lee and Jacob Hickey led to an early BLC goal. Soon after that marker another quick break saw Jake Darlison get his first in a BLC uniform as the visitors opened the gap. Oakville did respond with a pair but BLC kept them at bay and took that period by a score of 5-3 resulting in a 9-5 lead for the road team after forty minutes. Shots on net were 27-15 for BLC in that middle frame, a complete reversal of what transpired in the first.

The teams didn't register a goal in the third period until 11 minutes had elapsed off the clock.  A series of four unanswered goals by BLC in the final half of that period saw them cruise to a comfortable 13-5 win, good for a record of 2-1. They face the Cobourg Kodiaks on Wednesday at home to wrap up a busy stretch of four games in only seven days.

Scoring for Brooklin - Renaud (1,3) Hickey (1,2) MacLeod (1,1) Keenan (0,2) Westley (1,1) Boushy (4,0) Wills (1,3) Lee (0,1) Simard (1,0) Perroni (2,2) Darlison (1,2)