LAKERS FALL IN OT TO OWEN SOUND

By Anna Taylor
Photo Credit: Anna Taylor

 

COLLINGWOOD, ON – It wasn’t for a lack of effort that the Peterborough Century 21 Lakers lost 10-9 in overtime on Saturday night at Collingwood’s Eddie Bush Memorial Arena. They fought back from a deficit to force overtime but came up just short against the Owen Sound North Stars. The Lakers remain in second place in the MSL with Brooklin right on their heels. 

 

The Lakers trailed 7-5 after the second period. They twice got back within a goal in the third period only for Owen Sound to go up by two again. Jr. C call-up Jeremiah Wade got the Lakers back within a goal again with two minutes to play. Adam Thistlethwaite scored the equalizer with 3.5 seconds left.

 

“We had a play set up for Justin Sykes to come down the side on a double steal,” Thistlethwaite described. “We’d run it once or twice before in the game so they kinda knew what was coming. So when I came up from the bottom to seal up on Sykes’ guy, I just flashed into the middle into Saris and he threw it to me. Page was double sealing through on the backside just kind of bear-hugging guys, creating chaos and I shot overtop and hit it top left.”

 

The teams battled back-and-forth for nine and a half intense minutes in overtime before North Stars call-up player Greg Elijah-Brown scored the winner. 

 

Peterborough was missing a number of rostered players due to prior commitments (including Jordan Stouros’ wedding), plus head coach Mike Hasen to a family wedding and assistant coach Tracey Kelusky to coaching commitments. They called up two members of the Jr. C Lakers (both of which, Wade and Nick Fournier, scored) and three players from Burlington Jr. A. Michael Blaymires made his senior Lakers debut and scored a goal in the second period. 

 

“There were a lot of roles that were getting filled tonight,” said Thistlethwaite, who played mostly at lefty offence instead of his usual defence. Ben Trumble filled in on the right side of the offence. “A lot of different guys in the lineup so a lot of guys were stepping up in different places all over the floor. We had a lot of good young players who were running the floor and playing well.”

 

Braedon Saris led with two goals and four assists, with Fournier assisting three times in addition to his goal. Thistlethwaite had a pair of assists to go along with his goal. Nick Rose made 55 saves in goal.

 

Isiah Moran-Weekes and Brayden Mayea led Owen Sound with two goals and two assists each. Kaleb Martin made 56 saves.

 

“Not happy at all with the result, but happy with the effort,” said assistant Bobby Keast. “The group that we called up to support did an outstanding job.”

 

The Lakers are back on home floor this coming Thursday, July 24 to play their final regular season home game before closing out the regular season on Sunday, July 27 in Cobourg. It’s Little Lakers Night in support of Five Counties Children’s Centre and Fan Appreciation night. Camp Moshava will be in attendance.

 

Braeden Saris (2-4)

Nick Fournier (1-3)

Adam Thistlethwaite (1-2)

Michael Blaymires (1-1)

Justin Sykes (1-1)

Lucas Fraser (1-1)

Alex Pace (1-0)

Jeremiah Wade (1-0)

Robert Hope (0-1)

Ben Trumble (0-1)