They will play a seventh and deciding game at Burnaby's Bill Copeland Sports Centre on Tuesday.
Powered by clutch goals from Scott Jones and Cam Milligan, the Burnaby Lakers silenced 1,800 Victoria Shamrocks fans on Sunday with a dramatic 8-5 victory on the Island in Game 6 of their Western Lacrosse Association semifinal showdown.
Now, one game will decide who goes on to the league final, and it goes 6 p.m. on Tuesday in Burnaby.
With their backs to the wall, the Lakers came out determined on Sunday, staking out a 2-0 lead on goals from Eli McLaughlin and Jones, but the 'Rocks replied with three of their own to sit in the lead 3-2 after 20 minutes. In the second period, Milligan buried a shorthanded opportunity to pull the teams even, but was again countered by Victoria, this time a powerplay marker by sniper Joe Resetarits. Milligan came up big again, this time scoring on the powerplay with 3:43 remaining in the period.
In the third, Jones counted a pair and Robert Church added a goal in a span of 1:53 as Burnaby broke open a 7-4 advantage. While Victoria would reduce that lead to a pair midway through the period, Church wrapped up the offence with five minutes left.
The Lakers outshot Victoria 41-37.
Burnaby, which earned home floor advantage with a league-best record during the regular season, will be looking to avenge last year's Game 7 loss in the semifinals -- which came after Victoria opened the 2016 playoffs with three straight wins only to see the Lakers rally to tie it and force a seventh game.
The winner will play the survivor of the other semifinal series, where Maple Ridge holds a 3-2 lead over New West heading into Game 6 (which goes Monday, 7:30 p.m. at Queen's Park Arena).
