LAKERS TAKE SEASON SERIES OVER BROOKLIN

By Anna Taylor
Photo Credit: Anna Taylor

The Peterborough Century 21 Lakers are right back where they started from after a dramatic 9-8 win over Brooklin Lacrosse Club on Wednesday night. They take the season series two games to one.

The Lakers opened their season back in May with a win at Iroquois Park before beating the Six Nations Chiefs in the Lakers’ home opener the next night. They’ll try to pick up another win Thursday night when those same Chiefs, now in first place in the MSL, once again visit the Memorial Centre. Game time is 8 p.m. and tickets are on sale at the Grant Thornton Box Office.

“We’re going to battle,” said head coach Mike Hasen. “I thought we battled all night long here tonight. A couple seeing-eye shots late closed the gap, but we had a really good effort tonight and we’re going to do the same thing tomorrow.”

Against Brooklin, the two teams played to a 1-1 tie after the first period in a great display of lacrosse talent. Newly-acquired Justin Sykes scored the Lakers’ goal. Things opened up in the second, with a five-goal run from the Lakers. Brooklin got back a pair, but the Lakers countered both. Jacob Hickey scored a late one on the offensive rush to cut the Lakers lead in half 8-4 after the period. 

 It was a quiet start to the third period until Brooklin began a four-goal run 11:27 into the period. They had tied the game within the next five minutes, with Sean Westley scoring Brooklin’s eighth goal on an unimpeded shot from the right side. 

Jake Withers won the ensuing faceoff and the Lakers rushed in for a fast break. 

“[Thomas Hoggarth] got the ball out and I came down the side and no one was there. I just stepped down and shot as hard as I could,” said Mitch Ogilvie, whose first goal of the season turned out to be the game winner 15 seconds after the score had been tied.

Nick Rose made 33 saves for the win. Zach Higgins took the loss for Brooklin, stopping 41 shots. BLC was led by Hickey and Taggart Clark, who each scored twice. 

The Lakers jump four points ahead of Brooklin in the standings, yet remain in second place, trailing the Chiefs by six points. They have five games left in the regular season. 

Scoring for the Lakers:

Thomas Hoggarth (2-1)

Justin Sykes (1-1)

Brad McCulley (1-1)

Matt Gilray (1-1)

Johnny Pearson (1-0)

Braedon Saris (1-0)

Mitch Ogilvie (1-0)

Taite Cattoni (1-0)

Mike Robinson (0-2)

Nick Rose (0-2)

Robert Hope (0-1)

Carter Page (0-1)

Dylan Hutchison (0-1)