Lakers Lose Game 3 To Chiefs; Saturday’s Game 4 Is A Must-Win

By Anna Taylor
Photo Credit: Andrew Van Every/Six Nations Chiefs

OHSWEKEN, ON – The Peterborough Century 21 Lakers are in a big hole, down 3-0 to the Six Nations Chiefs in their MSL best-of-seven semifinal. The Lakers fell in Game 3 by a 9-4 score at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena on Thursday night.

Game 4 goes Saturday night at the Memorial Centre, at a special time of 7 p.m. It’s a must-win if the Lakers want to keep their season alive, and the team hopes to pack the building.

 “We’re right up against it, plain and simple,” said team captain Robert Hope. “We have amazing fans. We’ve always had great support from them. It’s a Saturday night in Peterborough which is a rarity, it doesn’t happen a lot. I think the fans will show up and be rocking and we’re excited to play in front of them.”

 Dhane Smith scored twice and Ian MacKay once as the Chiefs capitalized on early outside shots. Joe Resetarits and then Braedon Saris, on a power play, got the Lakers back in the game with goals from the right side. Ryan Smith scored in transition to end the first period with the Chiefs up 4-2.

 Josh Byrne, Dawson Theede and MacKay scored for Six Nations in the second period while Warren Hill held the Lakers scoreless.

 Dhane Smith scored his league leading 24th goal of the playoffs to open the third period. Taite Cattoni capitalized on another power play opportunity with 6:17 left, and Brad McCulley followed that up with a transition goal as the Lakers showed signs of life late in the game. Unfortunately, Tyson Bell scored in transition with the goaltender pulled as the Lakers were looking for any advantage to get back in the game.

 “I think the message [after this one] is ‘believe,’” said Hope. “We know what we have to do. We know the process and what it involves. We haven’t played a full 60 yet. They’re a good team, don’t get me wrong but we have to do things better as individuals, five on five, for the whole and for the betterment of the team and we just haven’t done that on a consistent basis.

 “If you could do it all the time, everyone would do it. Winning is tough. Anything in life, you have to work hard at it, work your butt off and we haven’t fully committed to it yet. You have an opposing team with sticks that are whacking the snot out of you so there’s decisions that you have to make all over the floor and sometimes we’re not making the hard working, smart decisions at times. We have to make those small adjustments - it’s nothing crazy, the looks are there. We have to bury a couple of looks, clean up some things on the back end, some loose balls that have been game changers, take away transition, and that’s what the formula is, and if we do that we’re going to be successful.”

 Nick Rose made 46 saves while Hill made 48. Adam Thistlethwaite and Jordan Stouros joined the defence as the Lakers were without Matt Gilray, on baby watch as he and his wife are expecting their second child. The Lakers played with an extra defenceman as forward Carter Page remains out with an undisclosed injury, and Justin Sykes was a healthy scratch. Broedie Birkhof is also nursing a lower-body injury and Eric Shewell was also scratched.

Tickets for Game 4 are already on sale at the Grant Thornton Box Office at the Memorial Centre. It’s a 7 p.m. start so bring the kids and get ready to party!

Scoring for the Lakers:

Braedon Saris (1-1)

Taite Cattoni (1-1)

Joe Resetarits (1-0)

Brad McCulley (1-0)

Thomas Hoggarth (0-2)

Dustyn Birkhof (0-1)

Colton Armstrong (0-1)

Mitch Ogilvie (0-1)

Holden Cattoni (0-1)