Lakers on top with 8-4 win over Brooklin
Empty-net goal clinches victory after hard-fought game
The Peterborough Century 21 Lakers are still filtering players back into their lineup but their defence was in mid-season form Thursday night.
They limited the Brooklin Redmen to four goals in an 8-4 win to move atop the Major Series Lacrosse standings. The Lakers picked up a fifth straight win by handing Brooklin its first loss.
Attendance at the Memorial Centre was 2,888.
Zach Currier played his first home game while several Rochester Knighthawks returned after the end of the NLL season. Rookie goalie Doug Buchan continued his strong play as a surprise starter with Matt Vinc, who arrived late for warm-up from St. Catharines, on the bench.
“It’s always great to get back to Peterborough and play in front of the best fans in the league,” said Currier, who recently got a job in Sterling Heights, Mich., with Warrior Lacrosse and is commuting to Peterborough. “The atmosphere was great as usual and we managed to get a win. We’ll only get better as the year goes on and we get chemistry.”
Currier said communication was a key on defence. “Doug is playing really well for us which is awesome and our defence as a whole is playing really well.”
The Lakers scored half their goals in the third period.
“We struggled offensively in the first and second,” said offensive coach Tracey Kelusky. “With that being said, we were still getting quality chances. They kept us to the outside a lot. We made some adjustments in the third period and the guys bought in. We have a veteran group on offence and we’re getting new pieces back every game. It takes a bit to regain the chemistry. Our biggest Achilles heel tonight was just timing.”
The Lakers (5-1-0) moved one win ahead of the Oakville Rock (4-1-0) wile Brooklin (3-1-0) third.
Brooklin led 2-1 after 20 minutes. Coincidentally, the Lakers opened goal came 4:45 into the period and Brooklin’s with 4:45 left in the period.
Corey Small’s quick-stick goal and Kyle Buchanan’s marker, off a Turner Evans rebound from the boards, put the Lakers up 3-2 early in the second.
Jeff Swift added to the lead on a rebound. Nick Chaykowsky got one back to make it 4-3 after 40 minutes.
A lightning-quick release by Holden Cattoni 3:08 into the third restored the two-goal margin. Veteran Mark Steenhuis evaded a check and tippy-toed along the crease before putting a shot past goalie Zach Higgins for a 6-3 lead 9:23 into the third.
Brooklin had a goal disallowed by a crease violation and seconds later Turner Evans blew a shot far-side on Higgins with 9:12 left. Matt Spanger broke the Lakers’ run 1:51 later.
Higgins made a spectacular stick save off Josh Currier to steal a goal. Chad Tutton clinched the win into an emptynet.
Scoring for the Lakers were Small (2-1), Cattoni (1-2), Kyle Buchanan (1-1), Turner Evans (1-), Steenhuis (1-1), Swift (1-1), Tutton (1-0), Shawn Evans (0-4), Jake Fox (0-2), Brock Sorensen (0-1), Jake Withers (0-1).
Brooklin scoring included Chaykowsky (1-1), Connor Kearnan (1-1), John Lafontaine (1-0), Spanger, (1-0), Graeme Hossack (0-2), Mitch McMichael (0-2), Higgins ()-1), Liam Osborne (0-1),
The Lakers' next action is at 8 p.m. Thursday when they host the Brampton Excelsiors.