UP SET WIN
Peterborough 9,Whitby 8
Junior A Lakers upset the defending champion Warriors.
The Peterborough Merit Precision Jr. A Lakers came out slow but rallied late to upset the league leading and defending Minto Cup champion Whitby Warriors 9-8 at the Memorial Centre on Monday night.
For the first time the Lakers had their full lineup together at home. Top guns Turner Evans, Kyle Trolley and Zac Currier were all back from school.
“It feels great to be back,” said Currier, who had two goals in his return. “We have a great group of guys here. I feel like we’re a Minto Cup contender this year.”
The Lakers didn’t get off to a great start and looked sluggish offensively in the early goings but turned it around.
Whitby got the scoring started but Josh Currier picked up a rebound on the crease and put it past the goalie to even things up at one.
The teams continued to trade chances and with the Lakers down 2-1, Nick Weiss split two Warrior defenders and put one in the top right corner to even the score at two.
Lakers Robert Hope took a slashing penalty 100 feet away from the play, erasing a three on two opportunity going the other way. The Warriors scored on the ensuing power play and took a 4-2 lead into the dressing room after one period.
The Lakers came out strong in the second. Josh Currier got his second of the game with an overhand blast from the shooter spot and then Cam Milligan cut through the middle, took a pass and put it low to tie the game at four.
The Lakers outhustled the Warriors in the second half. Head coach Mat Giles thought his team played well and was happy with their overall effort.
“The offensive guys were willing to do the dirty things,” Giles said. “We picked up some loose balls, got into the middle of the floor and got some resets and second looks and some of those ended up in the back of the net.”
The Lakers are the most penalized team in the league and at times lack discipline, as Jake Withers took the teams second double minor penalty for hitting from behind. Whitby made them pay, scoring another one on the power play and holding onto a 6-4 lead after two.
Lakers goaltender Connor Danko made several big saves to keep the game close.
“I thought I played a pretty good game and made the saves when I had to,” Danko said. “The offensive guys and the defensive guys did their job. Now with everyone back we can really get rolling.”
The Lakers found some momentum i n third, going on a three-goal run to start the period. Milligan scored his second of the game and then Zac Currier did it all alone, circling through the middle, dragging his man low to the crease and squeezing a shot off the goalie’s leg and into the net. Crough tied things at seven with a backhand shot that found the top left corner.
Whitby retook the lead on the next possession but Josh Currier answered back, this time, slamming a shot through the goalies five hole for his third of the game. His bother Zac broke the tie, picking up a loose ball at midfield and took the ball to the crease and fired a shot over the goalie’s shoulder for the game winner.
“I thought we wanted it more tonight,” said Currier, the Lakers picked up 30 loose balls, nearly doubling Whitby’s 17. “We came out in the third and just took the game away from them.”
NOTE: The Jr. A. Lakers travel to Whitby on Thursday night and return home Friday where they host the winless Mississauga Tomahawks at the Memorial Centre at 8 p.m.