The junior B Nanaimo Timbermen are in the playoffs and ready to try to pull off an upset.
The city’s Pacific North West Junior Lacrosse League team closed out its regular season on Wednesday with a 10-3 loss to the Peninsula Warriors at the Nanaimo Ice Centre.
The setback didn’t matter – Saanich’s results on the out-of-town scoreboard were enough for Nanaimo (5-6-1) to secure the fourth and final seed.
Ken Morrison, coach of the junior B T-men, said his guys were “gung-ho” before Wednesday’s game to end the regular season on a positive, but the visitors scored a couple of quick goals and the home team sagged.
“You forget about that – the new season starts next game,” he said.
The undefeated Cowichan Valley Thunder (12-0) provide the opposition in the first round, a best-of-three series. The task is daunting but certainly not impossible – Nanaimo lost to Cowichan during the regular season by scores of 6-4 and 6-2.
“We were that close to them and we didn’t have everybody in our lineup,” Morrison said. “They’re beatable and I think we might have their number.”
LACROSSE TALK … Remy Koch, Myles Tierney and Nigel Vink scored on Wednesday … Game 1 of the playoffs is Thursday (July 7) on the road but the venue hasn’t been confirmed. Game 2 will be July 10 at 7:30 p.m. at the NIC … The provincial junior B all-star game will be played Friday (July 1) in Langley. Koch, Ross Radcliffe, Mike Berti, Bryden Pelletier and Dean Borrelli will represent Nanaimo at the showcase event.
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