Titans Edge Host Merchants In Overtime

By Sam Laskaris

The Brooklin Lacrosse Club has reached the midway point of its regular season. And though the Ontario Series Lacrosse (OSL) team is having a respectable year, things could be even better. The Merchants had an opportunity to grab sole possession of first place in the standings of the six-team OSL on Saturday night with a home game at Children’s Arena in Oshawa. But they were edged 10-9 in overtime by the defending league champions, the Oakville Titans.

With the victory, the Titans improved their record to 6-1, good for top spot. The Merchants, who saw their mark fall to 5-3, are now tied for second place with the Six Nations Rivermen, who have also won five out of their first eight outings.

“We’re a little disappointed as a group here tonight,” said Merchants’ head coach Jason Crosbie. “The game was there for the taking. But I think both teams though didn’t come out too strong. For first place, you expect to be revved up.”

Crosbie also lamented about his club’s numerous mistakes. “We just had spells of offensive inconsistencies and defensive lapses,” he said. Crosbie, however, was pleased his charges’ efforts this season put them in a spot to be battling for top spot in the standings. “On the positive, we’re fighting for first place,” he said. “We’re not fighting for last place.”

Another plus for the Merchants was the fact Jake Gilmour, who netted a hat trick, had a solid outing in his first game with the squad. Gilmour missed the Merchants’ first seven contests as he suffered an ankle injury while attending the training camp of the Denver Outlaws, a professional field lacrosse team that competes in the American-based Major Lacrosse League. “I thought Gilly was really good, after coming back from his sprained ankle,” Crosbie said.

For Gilmour, it was actually his first box lacrosse game in a year, since suiting up for the MSL’s Cobourg Kodiaks last June. Like the rest of the Merchants, Gilmour was disappointed in not being able to pick up the W against the Titans on Saturday. “It’s a long season,” he reasoned. “We know we’ll see these guys eventually again. We know what we have to do against them. And we know we have to play a full 60 minutes against them.”

Merchants led 4-3 after the opening 20 minutes on Saturday. But the Titans took a 6-5 lead into the final period.
The two squads were deadlocked at 8-8 following regulation time, necessitating a full 10-minute overtime session.
Liam Osborne’s third goal of the match, with 27 seconds left in the third period, was the marker that tied the score for the Merchants and sent the game into OT. Dylan Riley, Jeremy McWatters and Josh Toguri also scored for the Merchants, who do not not have another home contest now for a couple of weeks. They’ll entertain Six Nations on June 29 in a 7 p.m. game.

But the Merchants will have three roads matches before that. For starters, they’ll square off against the Owen Sound North Stars next Saturday (June 15). The Merchants will also hit the road for games versus the Ennismore James Gang on June 21 and the Rivermen on June 23.