Fourteen goals will almost always be enough to win in the Western Lacrosse Association, so the Nanaimo Timbermen will try to keep filling the net.
The Coastal Windows Timbermen senior A team hosts the Victoria Shamrocks tonight (May 31) at Frank Crane Arena.
Fans at Nanaimo’s last game saw the home team pot enough goals for a 14-14 tie with the New Westminster Salmonbellies. Scott Ranger was in on 12 of those goals and Lewis Ratcliff was in on 10 of them. Art Webster, the team’s coach, said afterward there is still room for improvement at the offensive end of the floor.
“The offence is moving the ball pretty good – I think they can move it, still, a little bit better,” Webster said. “Our power play still needs a little bit of work.”
Ranger, the team captain, said the offence will be better if it is more unpredictable.
“Lewis [Ratcliff] and I have got to share the ball a little bit more and get it out of our sticks and get everybody else involved,” he said. “As soon as we started doing that we started playing better, so we’ve got to find that early and often.”
Another T-men attacker, Joel Henry, had three goals and four assists in the last home game and felt good about the team’s offence.
“Lewis and Scotty demand so much respect, if you slough off them they’re going to score, but at the same time they’ve both got great sticks and great minds,” Henry said. “Me, Cayle [Ratcliff] and the other guys, we can find open spots and they’re going to give us the ball when we’re open.”
GAME ON … Tonight’s opening faceoff is slated for 7 p.m. at Frank Crane Arena. Tickets will be available at the door.
sports@nanaimobulletin.com