Adanacs Win 6th Title in a Row

By Chris Vales

The Coquitlam Adanacs and the New Westminster Salmonbellies put it all on the line in front of an almost sold out Queen's Park Arena for Game 7 on Sunday night.

Both teams were a bit nervous to start the first period, but as time went on, it was the Adanacs who got the ball rolling. The Salmonbellies got the first power play of the game when Michael Messenger received two minutes for high sticking at 3:50, but the Adanacs were able to kill the penalty. However, with Ray Banister in the box for four minutes after receiving a checking from behind penalty, the crowd saw its first goal at 9:14 when Anthony Malcom scored on the power play.

The lead quickly disappeared when Adanacs captain Wesley Berg scored shorthanded and on a delayed penalty call at 10:18. The Adanacs took the lead under three minutes later when Eli McLaughlin scored.

The Salmonbellies had a glorious opportunity to not only tie the game, but to possibly take the lead as Chase McIntyre received a five-minute elbowing penalty at 13:20, but with Brett Dobray sitting for high sticking half way through the power play, the Salmonbellies couldn't get their offence to click.

It was the Adanacs who got their offence clicking in the final four minutes of the period. Berg netted his second of the game at 16:44 and then Tyler Pace scored two goals a minute apart, to give the Adanacs a 5-1 lead heading into the second period.

The Adanacs got off to a quick start in the second period when Berg got his third goal of the game 37 seconds in to make it 6-1, but it looked like Josh Byrne had enough as he scored a big goal at 1:00 that he much needed, but more importantly, that the Salmonbellies needed.

The 'Bellies got within three when Justin Goodwin chased down the ball and ended up on a breakaway to put it past goaltender Pete Dubenski at 2:03. With James Rahe in the box for high sticking, the 'Bellies power play clicked for the second time in the game when Malcom received a nice pass by Byrne and quickly released his shot to make it a one goal game.

The Adanacs made it a two-goal game when Challen Rogers faked out a defender and passed it off to McLaughlin who wired it past goaltender Eric Penney at 6:42.

Both teams had scoring chances, more so for the 'Bellies, but both goaltenders were coming up big. It wasn't until 16:24 with the shot clock winding down, Connor Robinson dove across the crease and beat Dubenski, making it 7-5 heading into the locker rooms.

It was roughly the same story for the Salmonbellies in the third period. They just couldn't get their offence to click. Berg continued to show his dominance as he made it 8-5 at 2:02. It was a rather quiet Queens Park Arena, aside from the Adanacs fans, when Wortley scored at 9:54 making it 9-5.

Robinson wired it past Dubenski at 6:19 to claw back into the game, but it was Berg who continued to be the dagger as he scored at 7:08. The last five minutes of the game saw both teams scored two goals each, but Berg and the Adanacs were simply too strong for the Salmonbellies as the Adanacs go on to win game 7 12-8.

The Coquitlam Adanacs are your 2014 BC Junior A champions for the 6th year in a row and it looks like I'm a curse for the 'Bellies as I predicted them to win last year and this year. Playoff MVP went to Adanacs captain Wesley Berg, who got 16 goals, 13 assists for 29 points in 7 games.

The Adanacs will now move on to face the Alberta champions Calgary Mountaineers in a best-of-5 Western Finals that begins August 7th. All games will be played at Coquitlam Sports Centre at 8:00PM.