Lakers study up on the Bellies
MSL champs will be taking to wooden floor when they face New Westminster in the Mann Cup series
The celebration may last into the weekend but the Peterborough Century 21 Lakers will soon turn their focus to the New Westminster Salmonbellies.
The Lakers are headed to the Mann Cup for the 25th time in franchise history and for the eighth time since 2014.
They punched their ticket out west before 3,464 partisan fans at the Memorial Centre on Thursday night getting some revenge on arch-rival Six Nations Chiefs. After blowing a 3-0 series lead to the Chiefs last year, the Lakers took care of business in five games by finishing them off 9-7. They’ve met the Chiefs four years in a row and have now split that series 2-2 with wins in 2015 and 2017 and losses in 2014 and 2016. This was the first series not to go seven games.
Now their attention turn to the WLA champion Salmonbellies who polished off the Victoria Shamrocks in five games after eliminating the defending champion Maple Ridge Burrards in the semifinal.
The Lakers and Salmonbellies last met in 2010 in Peterborough when the Lakers won in six games. The Lakers have two players from that team in Shawn Evans, who led that series in scoring, and Mark Steenhuis. Cory Vitarelli has missed this season after hernia surgery. The Salmonbellies have three holdovers in Ian Hawksbee, Curtis Hodgson and Shayne Bennett.
The Bellies possess some NLL star material including Logan Schuss, Kevin Crowley and Mitch Jones and recognizable names such as Joel McCready, Mike Messenger and Brett Mydske. They also have two former junior Lakers in goalie Tye Belanger, who backed up Alexis Buque in the WLA final, and Zach Herrewayers.
While the Lakers may not know a lot about the Salmonbellies, they know some of them.
“There are some familiar guys we’ve played against in the NLL and in this league, too,” said Lakers captain Robert Hope.
“Hopefully, we can just build and keep getting better and watch some film on them before we get out there. We were focused on Six Nations and the great team they were. We’ll make sure our bodies are prepared and watch a little bit of film and look at some tendencies and see what their goaltending, offence and defence is like.”
Lakers head coach Mike Hasen admits he doesn’t know a lot about them.
“To tell you the truth I haven’t noticed what happened out west other than I know New West won it. As far as who they got or what they do we’ll take some time from now until then, we have a week until we get out there, to watch some video and get caught up as quick as we can. All I know is we’ve battled all year long and I expect the same kind of battle.”
The MSL booked flights for Thursday which gets the Lakers in B.C. a day before Friday’s opener. It’s unlike two years ago when they battled Six Nations to seven games and had a quick turnaround to get out west. Hasen said he’s glad they have a break this time. “We definitely need the time. The Brooklin series was a grind and (Six Nations) even more so. We have a lot of guys with banged up bodies and the week will do them good. The boys also have some time to celebrate and enjoy this. We’ll make good use of our time,” he said.
New Westminster’s Queen’s Park Arena is unique with its wooden floor. Shawn Evans played on it in the Minto Cup with the Six Nations Arrows in 2007.
“It will bring back some memories so I’m looking forward to it,” Evans said.
He says it won’t take a lot for his teammates to adjust to the playing surface.
“You still have to play the game of lacrosse. The ball might bounce a little differently but what’s most important is to compete. The first step is to get the opportunity and now we have to capitalize.”
Brock Sorensen said winning the Ontario title isn’t their main goal.
“This city wants a Mann Cup and unless we bring a Mann Cup home it doesn’t really mean much,” he said.
That doesn’t mean it wasn’t special to see the home crowd standing and cheering as the seconds ticked down.
“Even talking about it now gives me goosebumps,” Sorensen said. “The support in this town is remarkable. It’s a lacrosse town. They love us and support us through thick and thin.”
He says they’ll take a crash course on the Salmonbellies.
“We’re going to study hard and watch for their tendencies. A lot of us play against each other in the winter league so we have an idea of who they are. They have Logan Schuss and Kevin Crowley and some important guys who are great ball players.”