Kodiaks Spoil Brooklin’s Home Opener
By Sam Laskaris
Thanks to an eight-goal outburst in the third period, the Cobourg Kodiaks were able to spoil the home opener for the Brooklin Lacrosse Club. The Kodiaks downed Brooklin 12-7 in the Major Series Lacrosse match held on Wednesday at Whitby’s Iroquois Park Sports Centre. The Kodiaks had also defeated visiting Brooklin 13-9 in the season opener for both clubs on Sunday in Cobourg.
“It was flashes of the second period from Sunday,” said Jake Fox, who had a pair of goals for Brooklin in Wednesday’s setback. “We had two good periods and one bad one.” In Sunday’s outing the Kodiaks outscored Brooklin 7-1 in the middle frame. And on Wednesday Cobourg secured the win by netting eight goals and allowing only two in the final 20 minutes of action.
“We can still take away a lot of good from these two games,” Fox added. “We just ran into a hot goalie.” Kevin Orleman, who also plays in the National Lacrosse League with the Georgia Swarm, backstopped the Kodiaks to both victories against Brooklin. Though any loss is tough to swallow, Fox said losing the first game at home in any season is less than desirable.
“You hate to lose the home opener,” he said. “You’ve got your fans out and you’ve got alumni that come out to watch. But a loss is a loss either way.” Like Fox, Dawson Theede also netted a pair of goals for Brooklin on Wednesday.
“We just slowed down and lost some energy,” Theede said, explaining his club’s third-period fortunes.
Brooklin had entered the third period holding onto a 5-4 lead. After the Kodiaks tied the score slightly over a minute into the frame, Theede gave Brooklin its final lead of the night when he put his side up 6-5 at the 5:37 mark. The Kodiaks, however, scored four unanswered goals to take control of the match. Connor Kearnan then netted Brooklin’s final goal of the game with slightly under three minutes to play. The Kodiaks then scored the final three goals of the evening.
Austin Murphy and Nick Chaykowsky had the other Brooklin goals on Wednesday. Brooklin continues its busy week as it travels to Peterborough on Thursday night to face the two-time defending Mann Cup champion Lakers.
That match, which has an 8 p.m. faceoff, will be staged at the Evinrude Centre. The Lakers will play the majority of their home contests at this facility this season while their regular facility, the Peterborough Memorial Centre, undergoes lengthy renovations.
“They’re a good team and we have to bounce back quickly,” Theede said of Thursday’s outing versus the Lakers. “If we can run the floor with them, I think we should do okay.”
Meanwhile, Brooklin’s next home contest is next Wednesday (June 12) against the Oakville Rock. Game time is 8 p.m.