The Burnaby Lakers closed out a busy week of Western associaton lacrosse with a 10-8 overtime win over the Maple Ridge Burrards on Friday.
The victory avenged an earlier 12-8 road loss to the Burrards that began the difficult three-games-in-six-days week.
First star Robert Church, from Dane Stevens and Alex Gajic, tallied the game-winner 46 seconds into the 10-minute extra-time period at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre.
Stevens potted his team-leading 12th goal of the season into an empty net with just 14 seconds left in the overtime.
The win boosted Burnaby's season record to 5-3-0, tying the Lakers with Maple Ridge and the Langley Thunder for second place overall. Burnaby currently has a game in hand over the Burrards and has also played two games less than Langley.
The two teams traded goals through the first three periods after Alex Gajic's game-opening tally midway through the first frame.
Burnaby had to play catchup for the next period and a half until Ilija Gajic gave the home side a momentary 7-6 lead midway through the third period on his ninth marker of the year from Scott Jones.
Stevens put Burnaby in the lead again but Jarrett Davis, with his second goal of the game for the Burrards, forced OT with a late goal at 16.21.
With Church, one of three pro players shortlisted for the National Lacrosse League rookie of the year, back in the lineup, Burnaby's power play has been sizzling.
The Lakers have scored 10 times on a dozen chances over the last three games, including nine of 11 in their last two wins over Langley and Maple Ridge.
Church, the Lakers' first-round pick in the 2013 junior draft has been in on seven of Burnaby's goals on the extra man in the last two games.
Stevens is also cashing in on the power play with a league-leading seven counters.
Burnaby's power play currently tops the league with 19 goals in eight games and a 51.35 efficiency percentage.
The Lakers have an opportunity to put some distance between themselves and the lower-table teams this weekend.
Burnaby hosts 2-6 New Westminster on Friday at 7:45 p.m. and then travels to Nanaimo for a Saturday matchup against the 2-5-1 Timbermen.
