For the first half of the opening period against New Westminster, Burnaby played like a playoff team.
But at the end of regulation time, the Lakers had lost their ninth straight B.C. Junior Lacrosse League game 9-4 to the junior A Salmonbellies on Sunday.
"That's been the story of the year," said Burnaby head coach John Wilson. "We just haven't been able to put in a full 60 minutes of lacrosse."
Burnaby goalie Xander McDonald saved perhaps his best for the last game on the schedule, aggressively challenging the Salmonbellie shooters while stopping 44 shots at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre.
After allowing Anthony Malcom to open scoring in the first minute of play, The Lakers held a 2-1 lead on goals by intermediate callup Danny Spagnuolo and newly named captain Quinton Bradley on a transition break with Peyton Lupul.
Bradley, an 18-year-old Richmond runner who has played most of his minor ball in Burnaby, knows he has a tough job ahead of him.
"We have to come out a lot stronger and smarter," Bradley said, adding commitment to the team also has to improve if the Lakers hope to get back on a playoff footing.
"But it's more the little things on the floor that are costing us. We have such a young team - a lot of first years. We lack experience," he said.
Burnaby finished the 2012 season in last place with a record of 3-18-0.
The junior A playoff opens tonight (Wednesday) in Langley with Thunder hosting the Port Coquitlam Saints at the Langley Events Centre at 8 p.m. New West opens its best-of-three playoff with Victoria at Queen's Park on Saturday.
B.C. Junior A Lacrosse Final Standings
W L T GF GA Pt Coquitlam 16 5 0 252 126 32
Delta 14 5 2 193 167 30
New West 14 6 1 193 140 29
Langley 12 9 0 206 203 24
Pt Coquitlam 11 10 0 163 178 22
Victoria 9 12 0 209 197 18
Nanaimo 3 17 1 152 256 7
Burnaby 3 18 0 140 241 6
