The Burnaby Lakers are in.
The senior A Lakers got the goalkeeping they needed from Tyler Richards and a big weekend they wanted from Casey Jackson to earn a berth in the Western Lacrosse Association playoffs.
Jackson scored the game-winning goal in overtime to defeat the Coquitlam Adanacs 7-6 at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre on Friday.
He then led Burnaby, with a team-high six points, to an 8-7 playoff-clinching victory over the Burrards in Maple Ridge on Sunday.
Jackson helped spark a pivotal four-goal second period, scoring once and assisting on the three other tallies, including game star Scott Jones’ second of the game.
Tyler Richards was on form again, stopping 33 shots for his sixth win of the season.
Tyler Digby got the game-winner from Dane Stevens and Jackson at 15:34 of the third period.
On Friday, clinching a spot in the post season might have seemed a world away for the Lakers.
In a game many in attendance believed Burnaby had no business winning, the Lakers came on in the final 20 minutes to take their first lead of the game on Jason Jones’ second goal of the game at 17:40 of the third period.
That lead was erased by Matt Delmonico a minute later, but Richards was perfect after that, stopping all eight Coquitlam shots in the 10-minute extra time.
Jackson beat first-star Adam Shute with a high shot to the far corner on a power play at 2:33.
“It was rough out there,” admitted Jackson after the game. “Some guys thrive on it, but eventually by the third period the ball started to drop for us.”
The win was an important one for the Lakers. It put off the outcome of the season series matchup with the Adanacs, who cannot catch Burnaby, in the team’s final home game on Aug. 1.
New Westminster can still mathematically catch the Lakers, but with three games left to play and four points back of the Lakers, they would need a perfect scenerio in order to use the season-series’ trump card over Burnaby.
Burnaby stumbled through the first period trailing 2-1, but did manage to momentarily tie the score 3-3 on Jones’ first of the night on a transition tally midway through the middle frame.
Most of the praise had to go to the Burnaby back end for keeping Coquitlam at bay and Richards, who turned away 39 shots in goal.
Jackson said it’s a source of pride for the Lakers to win in their own arena and this season has been a struggle.
Friday’s victory was just the third W in eight starts at home this year, while Sunday’s road win was Burnaby’s sixth in seven starts.
“Maybe it got to us after a few losses and we’re holding our sticks too tight,” he admitted. “But when it’s this close, losing any game is heartbreaking. … I think every game is a must-win. We know it has playoff implications. We want to show we can come out and dominate.”
The Lakers are on the road this weekend and travel to Vancouver Island for a two-game set against Victoria on Friday and Nanaimo on Saturday.
Burnaby will close out the season on Aug. 1 at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre against Coquitlam.
