The Nanaimo Timbermen junior A lacrosse team is hurting right now. So a couple of overtime games were probably the last things they needed.
The T-men juniors tied the Delta Islanders 6-6 on Saturday and then lost to the Burnaby Lakers 13-10 on Sunday. Both were on the road and both required OT.
In the first game the Timbermen held a 5-1 lead, but a costly stretch late in the second period allowed the Islanders to close the gap to 5-4.
"That's the part right now that we're really working at is being able to play for 60 minutes," said Dale Nicks, the team's coach. "Right now we're not able to do that, unfortunately."
The next day the Timbermen came back to force overtime, but goalie Cory Mayzes, who had been getting sicker as the game had wore on, couldn't continue. For the undermanned T-men, it was like adding illness to injury.
"We had to put in a cold goalie into overtime and they scored on their first shot," said Nicks.
Nanaimo has just one game this coming weekend, so the team looks forward to taking advantage of a lighter schedule to get healthy and try to improve.
"I think we just need to practise," said the coach. "We need to work on our specialty teams and our breakout."
LACROSSE TALK … In the tie game Adam Backular-Evans, Corey Shires, Stu Mills, Mitch Parker, Macgregor Johnston and Marino Best scored goals, with Brett Fleming adding three assists. Pete Dubenski made 51 saves. in the loss, Parker had a hat trick and Ryan Nicks and Tyson Roe had two goals each. Johnston, Evan Benham and Best were the other scorers. Mayzes made 49 saves … The junior Timbermen visit the Port Coquitlam Saints on Sunday (May 20).
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