Lakers Win Regular Season Finale By 11-Goal Margin

By: Anna Taylor
Photo Credit: Anna Taylor

PORT HOPE, ON – The Peterborough Century 21 Lakers saved their best for last in a 15-4 drubbing of the Cobourg Kodiaks (6-12-0) on Sunday evening at Jack Burger Sports Complex in Port Hope. The 11-goal margin was the largest win of the season by the Lakers, despite sitting regulars like Holden Cattoni, Thomas Hoggarth and Braedon Saris in preparation for the playoffs.

Peterborough finishes the regular season with a 13-5-0 record. In second place, they will host the third-place Brooklin Lacrosse Club in the MSL Semifinals beginning Thursday at the Peterborough Memorial Centre. 

Four-game ticket bundles go on sale Monday morning at 9:30 a.m. for both season ticket holders and the general public, in person or by phone at 705-743-3561. Single-game tickets go on sale Thursday morning at 9:30 a.m.

The Kodiaks did not make the playoffs; their season ended Sunday night.

Brad McCulley led the Lakers against the Kodiaks with four goals and one assist on a sweltering evening in an arena with no air conditioning. 

“Our staff does a fantastic job making sure we’re cool on the bench, getting fans blowing all over the place, water when we need it,” McCulley said. “Both teams have to deal with it so we kinda just have to make the most of it but that was a little uncomfortable by the end.”

Carter Page had a hat trick and one assist, Justin Sykes two goals and two assists, Mike Robinson six assists and Joe Resetarits a goal and seven assists. Drew Hutchison made 37 saves.

“Sometimes it gets to these games where the playoff schedule is already set and we have a game on a Sunday night and not everyone can make it, so it’s easy to mail it in or you just stay on track doing what’s made you successful, but like this, getting the sticks going and making sure our confidence is up and chemistry is still there, going far into playoffs this won’t hurt us,” McCulley said. 

It was 6-0 after the first period.

The Lakers were motivated after Cobourg won 9-8 in their last matchup, head coach Mike Hasen said. 

“We just wanted to make sure we ended the regular season on our best foot. They sucked it up, had a little more water and just played which is dynamite. Tough situation tonight. They buckled in and just did what they had to do.”

The second period was more even with the Lakers outscoring Cobourg 4-3. Broedie Birkhof and Riley Morgan, both Peterborough natives, squared off in the second period with Birkhof getting the upper hand.

The focus now turns to Game 1 on Thursday for both the players and coaching staff.

Game 2 is set for Saturday at 8 p.m. at Iroquois Park Sports Centre in Whitby. Game 3 will be back in Peterborough on Monday, August 4 at 7 p.m. 

“It’s going to be tight lacrosse, good lacrosse,” said Hasen. “We’ll just worry about ourselves. We talked about it here tonight that every shift matters. Thursday night matters.”

Scoring for the Lakers:

Brad McCulley (4-1)

Carter Page (3-1)

Justin Sykes (2-2)

Joe Resetarits (1-7)

Taite Cattoni (1-3)

Dylan Hutchison (1-1)

Matt Gilray (1-1)

Ben Trumble (1-0)

Frank Coyle (1-0)

Mike Robinson (0-6)

Colton Armstrong (0-1)

Mitch Ogilvie (0-1)