The Nanaimo Timbermen came back and made a game of it, but they couldn’t come all the way back.
The Coastal Windows Timbermen senior A lacrosse team lost 12-11 to the Burnaby Lakers on Sunday night at Frank Crane Arena.
It was a valiant effort by the home team, considering that the score was 10-4 for the Lakers early in the second period and looking like a possible blowout. The T-men twice got within a goal, but lost a key faceoff with 18 seconds left and didn’t get the ball back.
“Playing from behind, each mistake kind of weighs; it’s kind of like quicksand,” said Chris O’Dougherty, T-men defender.
So even though the home team outscored the visitors 5-1 in the third, it wasn’t enough.
“If we get behind like that, it’s going to be awfully hard for us to win,” said Cody Bremner, who had three goals and three assists for Nanaimo.
Penalties were a factor on Sunday, as the Lakers got seven power plays compared to three for the Timbermen. The short man, led by goalie Zak Boychuk, held the Lakers to 3-of-7, but playing short-handed made the comeback more difficult.
“One period we take off, or we just make too many mental errors and it costs us the game,” said Kaleb Toth, Timbermen coach. “And it’s got to change or else we’re … going to lose the rest of the games this year.”
The coach recognized a few problem areas. Aside from the penalty trouble, Toth questioned some of the shot selection and some ill-advised passes.
“We have to play smarter lacrosse, plain and simple,” he said. “When we do play good, we score goals and we shut down defensively.”
Bremner suggested there are lapses of concentration.
“Maybe [we’re] pushing things too much and trying to do a little too much out there and when that happens, that’s when we have our breakdowns,” he said.
Besides Bremner’s hat trick, Blake Kenny had two goals and two assists for the T-men and Cayle Ratcliff had a goal and four helpers. Jake Emms, Ryan Keith, Paul Brebber, Kyle Hofer and Graham Palmer were the other scorers. Boychuk made 43 saves as his team was outshot 54-36.
GAME ON … The Timbermen play three games in five nights starting Wednesday (June 12) when they visit the Langley Thunder. They visit the Lakers on Friday, then return home to take on the Coquitlam Adanacs on Sunday at 7 p.m. at Frank Crane Arena … To see another photo from this past Sunday's game, please click here.
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