Redmen Win at Home, Series is Now Best Two of Three
The semi final series between the Redmen and the Lakers has not disappointed, game four tonight at Iroquois Park would be no different.. The first three games were decided by one goal, including game three that went to double overtime, tonight's gap at the final buzzer was two goals in favour of the Redmen who took the 11-9 win to tie the series at 2-2.
Iroquois Park had its largest crowd of the year, thanks to participants in town for the 14th annual Ontario Lacrosse Festival and a group of vocal Lakers fans who made the trek down Highway 35/115. The Redmen also took the time to honour five teams from the Oshawa Lady Blue Knights lacrosse program who all won championships last weekend. For anyone who may have been watching their first MSL game at IPSC, this was a good one to attend and will bring fans back. The game featured solid defense, good goaltending ,offensive runs and some physical play.
Junior call up, Dawson Theede used his size to score his first goal in a Redmen uniform and two more by his mates made it 3-0 before Holden Cattoni solved Mike Poulin to put the Lakers on the board with under two minutes to go in the opening frame. A very exciting end to the period was to follow, with Laker starter Matt Vinc on the bench for the extra attacker Graeme Hossack corralled a loose ball and shot to the empty net at the other end of the floor to score. Redmen fans were ecstatic whereas Lakers fans were certain the buzzer had sounded, referees Blair Ferguson and Andrew Ecclestone huddled and after a brief chat signaled goal to give the Redmen a 4-1 lead after one period.
The visitors regrouped at the break and a power play marker early in the second narrowed the gap until Adrian Sorichetti scored a few minutes later. The offensive runs would happen in that middle frame as the Lakers rattled off four straight in just over two minutes to give them a brief 5-4 lead, one they would relinquish after Dan Lintner and Matt Hossack scored in a seven second span to make it 6-5 for the Redmen after two periods.
Fans settled in for an exciting third period and knew that the close play would continue. Zach Currier scored early for the Lakers but the teams traded goals until it was 10-8 for the Redmen with seven minutes to go. The Lakers scored with 2:49 on the clock and it was 10-9 until Austin Shanks got one behind Vinc for the 11-9 lead with under a minute remaining. The physical play carried in to the third and well in to the dying seconds, with Ferguson and Ecclestone assessing a number of penalties after the buzzer had sounded. The Redmen took the 11-9 win that sees this series tied at 2-2, and a best two of three affair.
Scorers for the Redmen were Dan Lintner with 3, John Lafontaine with a pair and singles to Theede, Matt Hossack, Graeme Hossack, Austin Shanks, Ryan Keenan and Sorichetti.
The remaining schedule is August 14, 16 and 17.