The Nanaimo Coastal Windows Timbermen played hard, but they need to play smart, too, to win, said the coach.
The city’s senior A lacrosse team (2-2) fell 14-10 to the Langley Thunder on Wednesday on the road.
“The work ethic and everything else was all there, but our intelligence at times, it’s frustrating…” said Art Webster. “That’s what beat us up again, making bad decisions.”
The coach pointed to a few examples of ill-advised penalties, but the most costly stretch came on a late power play, when they made mistakes that precluded a comeback. First the Timbermen threw the ball away, leading to a goal against, then goalie Matt King knocked the net off on another Thunder rush resulting in an automatic goal.
The T-men were also victimized by former MVP Lewis Ratcliff, who scored four goals against them in a one-and-a-half-minute span early in the second to turn a 4-1 Nanaimo lead into a 5-4 Langley lead.
"You tell these guys, 'you have to recognize who's on the floor and what do we need to do to take it away?,'" said Webster. "He scored three goals from that same spot."
Scott Ranger led the Timbermen with four goals and two assists and Cody Bremner had two goals and three assists. Doug Langlois, Sean Nugent and Kyle Hofer also scored. Zak Boychuk made 41 saves before making way for King.
GAME ON … The Timbermen play the Victoria Shamrocks on Friday (June 1) at 7:45 p.m. at Bear Mountain Arena.
sports@nanaimobulletin.com