Late Push Win for New West

Submitted by League Reporter, Jen Mutas

Both Burnaby and New Westminster were coming off weekend wins before Tuesday’s face-off with each other, and both teams were hoping to climb the ranks of the BCJALL standings.

The Lakers and ‘Bellies would trade goals back and forth to start the first period, but two power play goals from Riley Loewen would send Burnaby to the break with a 4-2 lead, getting help from Josh Simons and Chase Clark.

The Lakers did a great job of playing disciplined lacrosse in the first twenty minutes, and eventually Brent Laurita got called for high sticking a couple of minutes into the second. New West wasn’t able to convert the power play, but did manage to gain some much needed energy from it. After almost twenty three minutes since their last goal, Justin Salt started the ball rolling for New West, followed by goals from Brandon Goodwin and Jordan Catton. Laker Jaxson Lee would capitalize on a delayed penalty against New West to again tie the game before the break. Eric Lewthwaite took a double minor back checking penalty with just 56 seconds to go in the second, something that could swing the game in either direction considering the tie; nothing would change before the whistle, but the start of the third was a different story.

With just over three minutes to work their power play, Burnaby was concentrating hard in the New West zone- perhaps a little too hard. With Jordan Catton’s tenacious penalty kill, came an unassisted short handed goal to open scoring in the third period. Loewen would follow through on the original power play and complete his hat trick for the evening, but an untimely slashing penalty called against Laker goalie Andrew Copeland put the Laker momentum in jeopardy. Just as he did all night (facing 45 shots altogether) Copeland made sure nothing was getting past him on his penalty, stopping three shots during the two minutes and a quick one as it expired. After a go ahead goal by Goodwin for NW, Tyler Digby would wait for a screen in front of Copeland before he rifled his shot from the shooting circle to give the ‘Bellies a two goal lead. When New West took another inopportune penalty with five minutes to go some people in the crowd cringed as Ryan Mackay went to the penalty box, but those fans were soon silenced as Goodwin streaked in on Copeland, and threw in the second short handed goal of the period. Just like both teams did to start the third, a penalty would be responsible for both a short handed and power play goal, but Digby’s marker would be the game winner as the ‘Bellies took the game by a final score of 9-7.

As for where it went wrong for Burnaby or right for New West, goaltending was a big piece of the puzzle. Both goalies on the floor had key roles tonight; Copeland for Burnaby made several fundamental saves that kept the ‘Bellies to single digit scoring, and kept the Lakers emotions on an even level. Brandon Mulligan played the whole game for New West giving Neil Tyacke the night off, and in addition to facing 32 shots, managed two assists on his team’s nine goals. Between both teams the point leader for the night was Blake Mattinson who stood out above all else assisting on all seven of Burnaby’s goals, impressive!