Success on the Road for the Merchants

By Mark Stehlin

The Brooklin Merchants packed up their gear and headed north to Owen Sound to take on the North Stars at the Bayshore Community Centre on the shores of beautiful Georgian Bay. These teams last met at Luther Vipond Memorial Arena on May 17 where the Merchants took the 17-10 win. Today’s contest was considerably closer as the visitors escaped with a 12-11 win to improve to (5-1) and drop the North Stars to (2-2).

The score after the first frame was knotted at 5-5. The middle period featured a five-goal unanswered run by the Merchants, they took an 11-9 lead into the final period. The home side scored the first two to open the third period and tie the game at 11-11. Zac Carrigan, in his first game of the season, scored the eventual winner with six minutes off the clock to make it 12-11 for Brooklin.

- photo by Sam Hossack 

Score after one was 5-5, after two it was 11-9 Merchants who won that period 6-4 including the aforementioned five-goal unanswered run before the North Stars scored to stop the bleeding. The third period was 2-1 for the home side but that all-important goal by Carrigan was enough for the winner.

- photo by Sam Hossack 

Scoring for the Merchants – singles to Trent Boyd, Ed Renaud, Christian Watts, John Wheller, Parker Pipher and Tyler Goodchild, three each for Zac Carrigan and Devin Pipher.  Lukas Coote was between the pipes for the win.

Head coach Ryan Degerdon said “look, a win is a win and I’m glad for that”, but he told the offense after the game “a one-goal period is not going to cut it in big games going forward”.  He did praise his defense, saying “they did a great job holding them to two goals in the third” and shutting down any attempts at a stronger North Star comeback. The team welcomed Zac Carrigan back for his first game of the season and Degerdon noted “the chemistry on offense will come” and he is looking forward to seeing all his players connect moving forward.

The Merchants are home on Friday May 31, 2024 at 8 pm, note the game against Clearview is being held at Iroquois Park Sports Centre, all children 13 and under will be admitted free and all others are asked to “pay what they can”. The Brooklin Lacrosse Club open their 2024 Major Series Lacrosse campaign on Wednesday May 29, 2024 at 8 pm with a game against the Owen Sound North Stars.