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Burnaby claims strong back end at draft

The Burnaby Lakers pick up two strong defenders in third and fourth rounds of Western Lacrosse Association draft in Langley last Thursday

The Burnaby Lakers picked up two defensive gems with their late-round picks at the Western Lacrosse Association junior entry draft on Thursday.

The senior A Lakers selected 6-1 junior New Westminster Salmonbellies defender Brendan Rouse with their first pick of the draft, coming 16th overall in the third round of the draft held at the Langley Events Centre.

With its next pick, Burnaby drafted another New West junior product, Daniel Perreault, with its fifth pick of the fourth round.

“We did fine considering we didn’t draft until the third round,” said Burnaby general manager Paul Rowbotham. “We got two kids who have a shot.”

Rouse played just one season of junior A lacrosse with the ’Bellies, scoring one goal and assisting on eight others in league and playoffs in 2013.

Before that, the Langley native played four seasons in the Western Hockey League for three separate clubs, before winding up his major junior career with the Vancouver Giants.

Rouse collected 128 points in 258 regular season hockey games, including 36 goals.

He was also selected in the fifth round, 45th overall, by the Vancouver Stealth of the National Lacrosse League.

Perreault played three seasons of junior in New West. His best year was in 2013, when he scored 15 goals and added 17 assists.

Perreault is the son of hall of famer and Burnaby Cablevision legend Dan Perreault, who helped the junior A club win three consecutive Minto Cups from 1977 to ’79.

“I’ve heard lots of stories,” Daniel said of his father’s junior A exploits. “He grew up (in Burnaby). … There’s a lot of history there. … Burnaby is a good fit. It’s going to be exciting.”

Not unlike the old Cablevision gang, today’s senior A Lakers are also considered the youngsters of the new WLA.

“We began with a young group. We grew up together, we hung out together. It was a lot of fun and we had success,” said Dan of his junior Cablevision days. “(Burnaby) is going in the right direction, that’s for sure. They should do well.”

Coquitlam junior team captain and second-year Vancouver Stealth runner Tyler Garrison was selected No. 1 overall by the senior Adanacs.

Another Coquitlam Adanacs product, Reid Reinholdt went second overall to the senior Salmonbellies.

New West junior goalie Frankie Scigliano was picked up by Maple Ridge with the third pick.

Rounding out the top picks in the opening round were Matt Delmonico to Coquitlam at No. 4; Victoria’s Brody Eastwood to Nanaimo at five, Jesse King to Victoria at six and Brendan Ranford to New West with the final selection of the first round.

Burnaby also drafted junior Lakers Brendan Shea in the fifth round and Ryan Watson in the sixth.

Mackenzie Flescher of Port Coquitlam was taken by Burnaby in the seventh round with the club’s final pick of the night.

The Burnaby Lakers open their WLA schedule in New Westminster on May 29.

The Lakers home opener is the following night, May 30,  at the Bill Copeland Sport Centre against the Nanaimo Timbermen.