PETERBOROUGH LAKERS BEAT BROOKLIN IN GAME 7; HEADS TO MSL FINALS

By Anna Taylor
Photo Credit: David Pickering

 

PETERBOROUGH, ON – It’s like it was destiny. Despite being down three games to two, despite being down 5-2 in games six and seven, the Peterborough Century 21 Lakers completed the comeback in their MSL semifinal series against the Brooklin Lacrosse Club with an 8-7 overtime win on Thursday night at the Memorial Centre.

 

Mike Robinson sent the crowd to their feet with 2:56 remaining in the extra frame as he picked up a low pass from Joe Resetarits and sent an underhand shot sailing into the top corner past Zach Higgins. 

 

“Two really evenly matched teams that made each other work for every loose ball and win,” said defender Jake Withers after the game. “It was nice to see what we were made of when it came down to it and win game seven in front of these awesome fans.”

 

Peterborough had to stage another comeback, down 5-2 after 40 minutes for the second night in a row. This time their deficit increased to 7-3 before the magic started. But the 2,859 fans never let up with their cheering, and it spurred the Lakers on. Robinson and Holden Cattoni scored less than a minute apart to cut the gap to two. Colton Armstrong took a feed from Withers with 3:32 left and scored his first goal since May 31 to get the team back within a single goal. 

 

An illegal equipment penalty on Higgins with 1:15 left gave the Lakers a golden opportunity, and Cattoni made it count just 15 seconds into the power play to tie the game 7-7. 

 

Overtime went back and forth with the crowd alternating between “DE-FENCE!” and “Let’s go Lakers” chants. 

 

“It was kind of a scramble play, it feels like that’s normally how it ends in these types of games,” said Robinson on the winning goal. “I think Rezzy was looking inside to maybe [Carter Page], and the ball just squirted out to me up top and I just kinda let it go as quick as I could. Didn’t really pick a spot or anything and lucky enough it went in.”

 

“It was kinda reminiscent of our Mann Cup runs a few years ago and even when I was a kid,” said Withers on the crowd noise. “It helps a lot. We have the best home floor advantage in the league by far so to have them behind us to help fuel that comeback, it paid dividends in overtime when Mikey scored that one.”

 

Nick Rose made 38 saves on 45 shots before giving way to Drew Hutchison, who made three stops in overtime to secure the victory.

 

Connor Kearnan had four points, and Jacob Hickey and Sean Westley three each to lead Brooklin on the scoresheet. Higgins finished with 51 shots and proved why he was last season’s League MVP.

 

“Credit those guys, an unbelievable series and unbelievable game, especially Higgy playing the way he did,” expressed Robinson. “It was tough to beat him and luckily we were able to rally something in the third period.”

 

The MSL Finals will open on Sunday in Six Nations at 7 p.m. with Game 2 back at the Memorial Centre on Tuesday. The full schedule is to be released. Ticket bundles will go on sale Monday at the box office. 

 

 

Holden Cattoni (2-4)

Mike Robinson (2-3)

Braedon Saris (1-3)

Justin Sykes (1-0)

Taite Cattoni (1-0)

Colton Armstrong (1-0)

Thomas Hoggarth (0-2)

Jake Withers (0-2)

Joe Resetarits (0-1)

Robert Hope (0-1)