Lakers Outlast Rock Taking The Semi-Final Opener

By Gary Groob 

The Peterborough Lakers traveled west to face the Oakville Rock in game one of the Major Series Lacrosse semi-finals Tuesday night at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre, sponsored by Bergmanis Preyra LLP.

The goaltending match-up had Drew Hutchison in net for Peterborough facing Landon Kells in net for the Rock. 

Peterborough weathered every challenge Oakville threw at them Tuesday night, earning a 10-7 victory in Game One of the Major Series Lacrosse semi-finals at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre. In a tightly contested opening period, the teams exchanged just two goals before the Lakers seized control early in the second. Mike Robinson and Justin Sykes helped spark the offense, but after Oakville battled back to tie the game 4-4, Peterborough responded with three unanswered goals from Sykes, Rob Hellyer, and Thomas Hoggarth to take a commanding 7-4 lead into the final intermission.

The Rock mounted one last charge in the third, scoring three of the first four goals to erase the deficit and tie the game at 7-7. Once again, however, the Lakers answered with poise as Brad McCulley restored the lead before Matt Gilray and Hoggarth added insurance markers to seal the 10-7 win.

To the Game:

In a great display of defense from both teams, only two goals were yielded during the first period.  The Rock got on the board with a high-to-low shot from Carson Moyer off an Alex Simmons pass at 5:11, but Matt Gilray tied the game in transition off a Thomas Hoggarth pass at 19:22.

After one period, Oakville 1, Peterborough 1.
Shots on goal favored the Rock 22-15.

Second Period:

Mike Robinson opened the second-period scoring, diving across the crease off a Brad McCulley pass at 18 seconds, but Jake Darlison tied the game with a quick stick off an Alex Simmons pass 26 seconds later.

Justin Sykes regained the lead for the Lakers with a dive to the short side off a Brad McCulley pass at 1:12, followed by Mike Robinson with his second of the frame with a blast on a delayed penalty off a Rob Hellyer pass at 4:03.

The Rock got within one with Josh Dawick running across the crease off an Alex Simmons pass at 5:15, followed by Alex Simmons with a quick stick off a Carson Moyer pass at 13:18 to tie the game. 

The Lakers replied with three quick goals.  Justin Sykes regained the Lakers' lead off a rebound from the front of the net off a Thomas Hoggarth pass at 14:55, followed by Rob Hellyer with a sidearm snipe from the outside, unassisted, at 15:36.  Thomas Hoggarth then scored into a wide-open net off a rebound from a Colton Armstrong shot at 16:55.

After two periods, Peterborough 7, Oakville 4.
Shots on goal favored the Lakers 21-17.

Third Period:

Alex Simmons opened the third period scoring with his second of the night, a howitzer from the outside off a Justin Lee pass at 1:51, followed by Josh Dawick also with a blast from the outside off a Lee feed at 4:30 to bring Oakville within one.  Jameson Steele then converted a Justin Tavares pass from the top of the crease at 6:06 to tie the game.

Peterborough came back with Brad McCulley scoring from the top of the crease off a Rob Hellyer pass at 6:43, followed by Matt Gilray crashing the crease off a Rob Hellyer pass at 10:14.  Thomas Hoggarth then scored from the top of the crease off a Justin Sykes pass at 17:52.

Final score, Peterborough 10 Oakville 7.
Shots on goal favored the Lakers 16-15, for a game total of 54-53 in favor of the Rock.

The Three Stars 

1. Thomas Hoggarth 
2. Alex Simmons 
3. Drew Hutchison 

Peterborough takes a 1-0 lead in the best of five series.   Game two goes Thursday night in Peterborough.  Game time is 8 p.m.

You can watch every minute of MSL action on FloLive - https://flosports.link/MSL