The Burnaby Lakers won their fourth game in five starts with a strong 9-7 upset win over the New Westminster Salmonbellies.
The come-from-behind victory over the former first-place ’Bellies at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre was New West’s fifth defeat in its last six Western Lacrosse Association games after beginning the season on a 6-0 run.
Burnaby looked a bit unready in the opening 20 minutes falling behind 5-3 on the scoresheet, but settled down in the final two-thirds, outscoring the visitors 6-2 the rest of the way.
After an unlucky outcome earlier in the week against Langley, Burnaby continued to show similar loose ball skills and improving back-end play that was evident in the first two periods against the Thunder.
Once again it was the inspired play of first star Robert Church, who found a way past the goalkeeping of New West’s Eric Penney.
The talented righthander opened the second-period scoring with low bouncer at the seven-minute mark and then set up Dane Stevens for the game-tying goal a minute later.
After Keegan Bal gave New West a brief one-goal lead on an off-balance shot from the right side that beat Tye Belanger, Church replied quickly, knotting the contest off the bench with a deft move on a transition counter.
Scott Jones put Burnaby in the lead for good, burying the ball behind Penney from the right crease on a power play with just seconds remaining in the period.
Jones also set up second star Jamie Lincoln at the left crease on a power play for the game winner midway through the final period.
Peter McFetridge, with his second transition goal of the game, iced the contest scoring into an empty net with the New West keeper pulled for an extra attacker.
“Second chances are big in this league,” said Jones after the game. The rangy righthander also praised Belanger for his 28-save performance after a shaky first period.
“(Tye) doesn’t fold up. I think that’s huge. If you want to be a good goalie you have to forget about the last goal and he was huge in the second and third periods,” Jones added.
Although without playing a full lineup yet this season, Burnaby is starting to show the depth and cohesiveness that is beginning to give matchup problems to all they meet.
“We’re slowly getting there. We didn’t have a full lineup but I know down the stretch that will happen,” Jones said.
Church led all scorers with a six-point outing, while Lincoln had two goals and three assists and Jones chipped in with four points, including a pair of markers.
Jordan McBride, who scored on a penalty shot in the final two minutes of the contest, had a hat trick for the 7-5-0 Salmonbellies.
Burnaby is right behind with a record of 6-5-0.
The Lakers have a big test coming up in their home night on Tuesday against the first-place Victoria Shamrocks. Game time is a 7 p.m. start at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre.
