The Nanaimo Timbermen are halfway to winning their semifinal playoff series.
The T-men defeated the Coquitlam Adanacs by a 12-9 score on Monday, Aug. 8, in Western Lacrosse Association post-season action at Frank Crane Arena.
Nanaimo, up 8-6 after two periods, scored the first three goals of the third period to take firm control and held on the rest of the way.
“We’re the hardest-working team and that’s our identity, and also speed and fast-paced play and that’s also what our boys did tonight,” said Tewanee Joseph, coach of the Timbermen.
Nanaimo trailed 5-4 midway through the game, but got better as the game wore on, said Jon Phillips, T-men alternate captain.
“We just got back to our basics, played the way we know how to play. We had a good chat with the offence, got back to what we like to do – swinging the ball, cutting and burying our shots,” he said.
The Timbermen have been able to score enough on Adanacs all-star goalie Christian Del Bianco through the first two games of the series.
“For us, we just have to find every single way that we can and really rely on the guys and what they’re seeing out there,” said Joseph.
Zach Manns led the Timbermen with a goal and five assists and Phillips and Teioshontathe McComber each had two goals and two assists and Taggart Clark had a goal and two assists. Ethan Ticehurst scored twice and had the goal of the game as he sprinted the length of the floor to score a key goal with 0.4 seconds left in the second period.
Devlin Shanahan made 42 saves for the win.
Congrats to Nanaimo Timbermen all-stars Adam Wiedemann, Jon Phillips and Zach Manns. Wiedemann chosen a WLA first-team all-star, Phillips and Manns chosen second-team all-stars… #WLA pic.twitter.com/ND6JN13eON
— Greg Sakaki (@BulletinSports) August 9, 2022
Playoff games will keep coming every other night and it’s a change of pace for the T-men, who had almost two weeks off between their final regular-season game and their first post-season game.
“We’re just riding the energy,” Phillips said. Once you get in the flow of games it’s good to just keep playing. Honestly, it’s kind of hard taking two weeks off. I like playing multiple games in a row and getting the flow going.”
Joseph said Nanaimo’s depth and belief in its full roster is a good fit with the rigours of playoff lacrosse.
“These are wars that we’re in and that’s lacrosse, but at the same time, our guys are ready for that,” he said. “Every single person that’s on our roster is ready to get out there and do their best.”
GAME ON … The Timbermen and Adanacs play Game 3 on Wednesday, Aug. 10, on the mainland, then play Game 4 on Friday, Aug. 12, at 7 p.m. at Frank Crane Arena.
READ ALSO: Nanaimo Timbermen start playoffs with a win
editor@nanaimobulletin.com
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