Rock even up series with OT win
Home team has won every contest so far in the Major Series Lacrosse finals
OAKVILLE – The Major Series Lacrosse final has proved to be a homer series to date.
Dan Craig’s goal 26 seconds into overtime lifted the Oakville Rock past the Peterborough Century 21 Lakers at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre on Tuesday night.
It evened the best-of-seven series at 2-2 with the home side winning all four.
Craig squeaked a shot past Matt Vinc 26 seconds into overtime. It was the only shot to beat a goalie in overtime as Vinc and Nick Rose were spectacular the rest of the way. Challen Rogers finished the scoring into an empty-net in the final minute. It was the second OT match of the series with each team winning one.
Game 5 is at 8 p.m. Thursday at the Memorial Centre. The Rock win means they’ll return to Oakville for Game 6 on Saturday at 8 p.m. If necessary, Game 7 is Monday at 8 p.m. at the PMC.
As it has been all series the game was tight from start to finish.
Vinc and Rose were frugal in the first period surrendering just one goal each.
Kyle Buchanan struck first on a power play with a backhand shot off a pass from Shawn Evans at 2:57. Oakville tied it 4:43 later when Tanner Thomson fired a perimeter shot five-hole.
Brett Hickey, playing his first playoff game, made his presence felt 1:29 into the second giving Oakville its first lead.
The Lakers tied it on a fiveminute boarding penalty to Josh Jubenville on Jake Withers. Cory Vitarelli quick-sticked a pass by Evans at 3:46. Evans did it again 1:44 later with a goalmouth pass to Adam Jones to release Jubenville from the sin bin.
Thomson tied it on transition at 10:32 on a shot Vinc got a piece of. Mitch deSnoo sent Thomson in alone on Vinc 38 seconds later for a 4-3 lead. Craig cut inside to bury a shot for three goals in a 3:06 span and the game’s first two-goal lead.
The Lakers’ transition stopped the run when Matt Gilray set up Thomas Hoggarth on the run at 15:31 for a one-goal margin headed to the third.
Andrew Kew ripped a shot from the left-side shooter’s spot 7:50 into the third.
Vitarelli made it a one-goal game again flipping an underhand shot home off Corey Small’s feed with 10:24 left. Buchanan tied it after Josh Currier faked a shot twice then passed with 6:20 remaining.
Brad Gillies and Vitarelli both hit posts in the final minute of regulation time. NOTES: Brett Hickey returned to Oakville’s lineup for the first time since breaking his foot in the opening game of the season. Brandon Slade played his first game of the series. Callum Jones and Pat Walsh were scratched…. The Lakers made one change inserting Mark Steenhuis and removing Andrew Suitor. Lakers GM Paul Day said they wanted to get more offence into the lineup…. A Lakers fan bus was cancelled for Tuesday’s game as only 21 people signed up. Lakers volunteer Anna Taylor said they’ll take signups for a bus to Oakville for Game 6 on Saturday.
Rock 8 Lakers 6 (OT)
Series: Rock even the best-ofseven Major Series Lacrosse final 2-2. Game 5 is at 8 p.m. Thursday at the Memorial Centre.
Lakers scorers: Kyle Buchanan (2-2), Cory Vitarelli (2-0), Adam Jones (1-1), Thomas Hoggarth (1-0), Holden Cattoni (0-3), Shawn Evans (0-3), Josh Currier (0-1), Matt Gilray (0-1), Chad Tutton (0-1).
Rock scorers: Tanner Thomson (3-0), Dan Craig (2-0), Andrew Kew (1-2), Brett Hickey (1-1), Challen Rogers (1-0), Johnny Powless (0-3), Mitch deSnoo (0-2), Jeremy Noble (0-2), Nick Rose (0-1), Brandon Slade (0-1).