Corey Small scores hat trick in Lakers debut

Lakers edged by Oakville Rock in season opener; Mann Cup banner raising Thursday at Memorial Centre home opener

The Peterborough Century 21 Lakers fell 8-7 in their 2018 season opener to the Oakville Rock on Monday night in Major Series Lacrosse action at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre.

The defending Mann Cup champions were without 13 regulars in the lineup, including goalies Evan Kirk and Matt Vinc who are among the Lakers playing in the National Lacrosse League championship series between the Saskatchewan Rush and the Rochester Knighthawks.

“There are some good things that happened out there. The young kids on the back end especially were good tonight and they’re only going to get better,” head coach Mike Hasen said.

“Offensively we have to do a better job and get a little bit of transition but overall it wasn’t too bad.”

Corey Small scored the first goal of the season in his debut, but the Lakers trailed 3-2 after the first period.

Call-up Corson Kealey also scored in the period, his first

MSL goal.

Small bookended the second period scoring in which each team scored three times. Oakville led 6-5.

“In the third period we picked up the pace and pushed a little bit more,” Hasen said.

The Rock went up 7-5 before Jake Fox scored to pull the Lakers within a goal.

Chad Tutton, returning to the Lakers after missing last season due to an Achilles tendon injury, tied the game at 7-7, picking up a rebound from Nick Weiss as the two escaped on a fast-break.

The Rock’s Dallas Bridle scored the game winner with 1:48 left to play.

Doug Buchan made 46 saves in his debut between the pipes and kept the Lakers competitive. He made late-period highlight-reel saves in both the second and third.

“He was dynamite,” Hasen said.

“There are one or two I’m sure he’d like back but he kept us in there and gave us an opportunity and that was all we could ask from him in his first game for us.”

Ryan Benesch led the Rock with a pair of goals. Nick Rose got the win in goal. The Lakers home opener is Thursday at 8 p.m. at the Memorial Centre. Season tickets and single-game tickets are available now at the box office.

Prior to Thursday’s Mann Cup banner raising, the Lakers are hosting a pre-game tailgate party in the Memorial Centre parking lot, featuring food, face painting, music, Mann Cup merchandise and discounted 2017 Lakers apparel.

NOTE: The Cobourg Kodiaks tied the Brampton Excelsiors at 12-12 after OT Sunday night at the Cobourg Community Centre.