BLC Down 2-0 in Series After Disappointing Road Loss

By Mark Stehlin

The Brooklin Lacrosse Club packed up their gear and traveled to The 'Boro for game two in this best of seven semi-final series. The visitors left the rink for the drive home with a 2-0 series deficit after a disappointing 9-4 loss in front of 2,322 fans.

Game one in the series featured both teams flying on offense early as it was 6-6 after the first period in that game. Tonight's contest was defined by more of a defensive and, specifically goaltenders duel. It took the teams fifteen minutes to register the first goal and the score after one was 2-2.

The middle frame was not kind to the visitors as the home team kept them off the scoreboard while putting three past starter Zach Higgins.  The scoreboard showed a 5-2 lead for the hosts after two periods.  Late in the second both coaches signalled for a time-out to draw up plans but neither side was able to execute a successful play, and that left BLC with work to do in the third period.

Austin Shanks did score his first of two in the final period on a well-executed power play to close the gap to 6-3 and ignited a spark of life for the visitors. The Lakers reeled off three straight which snuffed out any real hope down the stretch and, other than a second goal from Shanks in the dying seconds, that was all the visitors could muster. Final score was 9-4 for the home team and a 2-0 lead in the series for Peterborough.

The series shifts to Iroquois Park Sports Centre on Saturday August 3 for an 8 pm start. The week ahead also includes the Ontario Lacrosse Festival and the club looks forward to large partisan crowds to support a comeback effort in this series. There is a gap to Thursday for game four as Billy Talent is at the Memorial Centre for a show on Tuesday August 6. BLC will look to channel the band's 2020 release "I Beg to Differ (This Will Get Better)", as their game plan for Saturday night.

Joel Johnson, head coach, said "I thought both teams came out strong with a will to win and we had a chip on our shoulders after the loss the other night."  

He added "our defense and goaltending gave us a chance tonight, and even though the offense wasn't firing, I felt like we had a chance, we need to put both ends of the floor together to win."

Johnson stressed "I don't doubt us at all. I reminded them that these situations can bring a team together and that's what I expect to see on Saturday night."

Scoring for Brooklin - Shanks (2,0) O'Connor (0,2) T Cook (0,1) Theede (0,1) Waters (1,1) Knight (1,0). Higgins faced 55 shots off Lakers sticks and BLC fired 52 in the direction of Lakers goalie, Doug Buchan.

Saturday August 3 at 8 pm the teams will meet at IPSC. 

The Brooklin Merchants commence their Ontario Series Lacrosse Final against the Six Nations Rivermen on Saturday August 3 at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena and play game 2 on Sunday August 4 at 7:30 pm at IPSC.