Lakers lose opener in overtime battle
Chiefs take game to 9-9 tie at end of regular play
The Six Nations Chiefs got back-to-back goals from Tehoka Nanticoke and Jeremy Thompson to open overtime and held on for a 12-10 win over the Peterborough Century 21 Lakers in the opening game of the Major Series Lacrosse championship series at the Evinrude Centre Sunday night.
The game was back and forth all night. Six Nations led 3-2 after the first period and the score was tied 6-6 after two periods. Neither team had more than a one-goal lead again through regulation as the teams each got three third-period goals to enter extra time tied
9-9.
Shayne Jackson and then Dhane Smith had given the Chiefs leads late in the third, but each time Shawn Evans scored a sensational goal to even things up again, the last time with just 24 seconds to play in regulation.
Nanticoke fought through traffic to get to the net, protected the ball from a pair of Lakers defenders and found a spot to slip the ball past Matt Vinc. Thompson won the following faceoff and raced down to score unassisted at 1:48 of overtime to make it 11-9.
Currier matched Evans' earlier behind-the-back goal with one of his own to pull the Lakers within a goal at 4:33 of overtime.
The Lakers had some chances to tie the game but couldn't beat Six Nations goalie Doug Jamieson again. They were shorthanded for the final 53 seconds after a Brock Sorensen highsticking penalty when he caught Cody Jamieson a bit high as the Chiefs' forward ran in from the bench with the ball.
When Peterborough got possession under 30 seconds to play, they pulled Vinc to make it 5-5. A shot from Mark Matthews was blocked and the battle for the loose ball wound up with Kevin Brownell grabbing it near the benches, running into open space and potting the ball into the empty net with three seconds left on the clock.