Brother versus brother
Until National Lacrosse League game Saturday, Peterborough’s Currier brothers had never faced each in lacrosse
It was a night the Currier family will never forget.
Not counting an elementary school soccer game, brothers Josh and Zach Currier, often teammates growing up, had never played against each other prior to Saturday night in Rochester, N.Y.
Zach Currier’s National Lacrosse League debut with the Calgary Roughnecks just happened to come against brother Josh’s Rochester Knighthawks at Blue Cross Arena.
There were about 15 family members in the stands including their mother Michelle wearing a T-shirt she stitched together with Josh’s No. 27 on one side and Zach’s No. 77 on the other and the name Currier across the back. It illustrated perfectly the family’s divided loyalties.
“That was her compromise,” Josh said. “It was pretty funny.”
The brothers are living together in a home Josh recently bought in Peterborough and so there was some build-up to the game. As much as they tried not to talk about it friends and family kept bringing it up.
“It was weird, to be honest,” Josh said. “There was a little bit of bickering but when it came down to it we wished the best for each other and cheered for our own team.”
“It was weird seeing him in warm-up on the other side of centre,” Zach said.
Once the game started they were matched against each other quite often with Josh, a right-handed offensive player, and Zach, a lefthanded defender.
Josh scored twice in a surprisingly lopsided 17-6 Rochester win. Zach also scored his first NLL goal.
They may not have played against each other before but they knew each other’s tendencies pretty well after years as teammates on the junior and senior Lakers.
“Zach is a really good player so when he was matched up against me I knew there was a chance of him taking the ball away from me so I was cautious,” Josh said.
“He actually did strip me in the first period and went down on a breakaway and my heart kind of dropped. I was thinking that would be his first NLL goal but thank god Vino (goalie Matt Vinc) stopped it. I don’t think I would have lived that down.”
“That would have been a nice one to get,” Zach said, “but Vino stoned me on that and on a few more occasions throughout the game.” He did beat Vinc once.
“I closed my eyes and let it rip,” he said, with a laugh.
“I play tendencies a bit on anyone I play defence against,” Zach said. “I’ve watched Josh play a lot so I know his go-to-moves but it didn’t really affect how I played in terms of this is my brother versus this is another player.”
Both of Josh’s goals came with Zach on the floor.
“He’s probably going to say they weren’t his fault,” said Josh. “I’m not a defender so I can’t tell you whose fault it was. He was in the vicinity.”
“He definitely got the best of me,” Zach said. “It’s going to suck hearing that for the next however many months until we play them again (March 17 in Calgary).”
The Knighthawks had an autograph session with fans on the floor following the game so the brothers met with family for hugs and photos. They also went out for dinner afterwards.
“We talked about a few of the plays we had,” said Josh. “It’s back to normal now. We don’t have to think about it again until we go to Calgary. My dad’s brother lives in Calgary so we’ll have more family at that game, too.”
It was going to be special no matter who Calgary played since it was Zach’s first NLL game but it certainly added to the moment to have the family connection.
“It was definitely a really cool experience and one I’ll remember for the rest of my life,” Zach said. “Playing against my brother but also playing with Holden Cattoni and Curtis Dickson and Wes Berg (his teammate with the MLL’s Denver Outlaws).
“Other than Josh on the opposing team the next one it was special to play against was Jake Withers. We played on the same team every year growing up from tyke to this year. Playing against him was weird, too. It was awesome to share the experience with so many family and friends.”