OSL Final is Now Best Two of Three After Merchants Loss

By Mark Stehlin

The Brooklin Merchants hosted the Six Nations Rivermen at Iroquois Park Sports Centre (IPSC) for game two in their best of five Ontario Series Lacrosse final match-up.  Less than 24 hours prior, the Merchants left the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena (ILA) with a 13-10 victory and were looking to extend their lead in the series. The Rivermen, having lost at home, were looking to take one on the road. Last night's affair was  far more defensive than game one with both sides digging in to clog up the middle of the floor.  

The majority of the scoring occurred in the first twenty minutes when six of the 11 goals were scored. The visitors looked to take the home crowd out of the game early as Sam Leclair scored with just 19 seconds off the clock. The teams traded goals and it was 3-3 after twenty. 

- photo by Sam Hossack

It took the teams a full 10-minutes to register the first goal of the middle frame. The Rivermen scored the first two of that period and the home team added one to give the visitors a slim 5-4 lead after two periods.  Deacan Knott in the Merchants net and Drew Hutchinson in net for the Rivermen gave their sides a chance at victory as both stymied the offenses with solid play.

The third period mirrored the second as both sides played strong defensively and neither offense could execute on any real chances. The Rivermen scored the winner with three minutes left and Christian Watts added one late to make the final score 6-5 for Six Nations.  

Head Coach Ryan Degerdon was clear and said "they didn't win that game tonight, rather we lost it" he added "we struggled on offense and we couldn't adapt in the game."

Degerdon took a positive tone and said "it was our worst offensive output of the season and we only lost by one goal".

Assistant coach Mark Debrone said "it was a humbling experience out there as we played the full sixty but couldn't find a way to win."

Preparation for game three according to Degerdon will focus on simple messaging.  He will remind the players that they are in a series now and even though that was their worst offensive game of the season it was only a one goal loss. Degerdon and Debrone will review game tape and work in practice this week to adapt more effectively on Friday night. 

Debrone added "good teams will lose one game, great teams will not lose two and that has to be our approach."

Degerdon concluded his remarks by stating "this is fun, we're playing for the trophy here and it really comes down to who wants it more and is willing to sacrifice."

Costello (0,1) Renaud (1,1) Carrigan (1,1) Watts (2,1) Boyd (0,1) Elliott (1,0) P Pipher (0,3) Hickey (0,1). The Rivermen scored once on the power play and one short-handed while the Merchants were able to score one on the man-up. 

This series reverts to the ILA on Friday night and is now a best two of three affair.  The teams are at IPSC on Sunday at 7:30 pm and will meet on Wednesday August 14 at the ILA, if a fifth and deciding game is needed.