THE EXAMINER Record still perfect
Peterborough Century 21 Lakers down Oakville Rock to improve record to 7-0 to start MSL season.
Peterborough Century 21 Lakers have yet to have anywhere near their full lineup and yet they are 7-0.
A bevy of call-ups and young players have stepped in and contributed and Thursday’s dominant 11-4 win over the Oakville Rock was no different. The 2,776 Memorial Centre patrons saw sophomore Holden Cattoni lead the way with five goals, while senior B call-up Jeff Swift, who has dressed in all seven games, scored the game’s first two goals. Junior call-up Kyle Killen, in his MSL debut, chipped in three assists. The veterans also did their part as Shawn Evans piled up seven points and Kyle Buchan four while Matt Vinc was solid in goal behind good defence.
Missing names like Adam Jones, Mark Steenhuis, Brad Self, Josh Currier, Cory Vitarelli and Nick Weiss, the Lakers have still steamrolled some of their competition.
“We have a good team and we know the guys we have and when we are playing well we know what we can do,” said Lakers’ captain robert Hope. “I don’t think we’ve had our best game yet this season but we’re working towards it and getting better, offensively and defensively, and our goaltending has been great.”
Killen made an immediate impact. He assisted on the game’s opening two goals, at 1:22 and 9:31, by Swift.
“I didn’t really know what to expect,” said Killen. “Coming into the room before the game everyone welcomed me in. It was a good feeling.”
It’s something Killen always wanted to do.
“My parents (Brian and Janice) have had season tickets for a while and as a kid I’ve grown up coming to the games and looking up to most of these guys.”
Evans says it’s been impressive how the rookies, juniors and senior B’s have contributed.
“I’m getting goose bumps just talking about it seeing a kid like Kyle, I work with him during the day as he helps me with some Nationwide Lacrosse stuff,” Evans said, “seeing him buzzing around out there getting loose balls and creating stuff is a good energy boost for our team. I was hoping he’d get his first (goal) tonight. He hit a post late that I was hoping would go in for him. Overall, he played a great game.
“The young guys are buying in and are ready to compete at the highest level they can,” said Evans. “They ’re trying to make names for themselves.”
Hope says they know games will get tougher.
“When playoffs come we know it’s going to be tight,” said Hope. “Everyone elevates their game to a whole other level.”
The Lakers grew the lead to 4-0 by the end of the first. Cattoni ripped an outside shot home. Zach Currier, playing his first home game this season, beat a defender one-on-one to get in close and beat goalie Steve Fryer.
Cattoni took over in the second period scoring four goals as the Lakers built their lead to 8-2 after 40 minutes. Cattoni scored on an outside shot, Killen assisting on one, and also drove the net to score another hitting the 20 goal mark. Oakville scored the first goal of the second on a power play and got their second goal short-handed, making it 6-2 but Cattoni replied just 19 seconds later on the manadvantage.
Curtis Dickson normally gets a rise out of fans with highlight reel goals. Late in the second he did it with his fists punching out Jason Noble. The Lakers outscored Oakville 3-2 in a chippy third.
Lakers (7-0-0) scorers: Holden Cattoni (5-1), Shawn Evans (2-5), Jeff Swift (2-1), Kyle Buchanan (1-3), Zach Currier (1-1), Turner Evans (0-3), Kyle Killen (0-3), Curtis Dickson (0-1), Turner Evans (0-1).
Rock (3-5-1) scorers: Dan Lomas (2-0), Wes Berg (1-0), Dan MaCrae (1-0), Nolan Apers 0-1), Steve Fryer (0-1), Todd Kozak (0-1), Jeremy Noble (0-2), Brett Ulbikas (0-1).
Next for Lakers: Visit Brampton 8 p.m. Saturday. Host Cobourg Kodiaks 8 p.m. Thursday at PMC.