The Burnaby Lakers might want to consider a name change.
The B.C. Junior Lacrosse League club chalked up its first win of the regular season, stealing a 12-7 win from the visiting Langley Thunders in what could have been described as a phoenix-like turnaround at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre on Friday night.
After opening with a flameout first period, giving up four goals on the first four shots on goal, Burnaby arose from the ashes of a 5-1 deficit, outscoring the Thunder 11-2 over the final 47-plus minutes and in the process transforming itself into a club that just might have a chance of reaching its playoff goal.
Steven Mayervich, who took over in goal from starting goalie Aiden Yorke, let in his first two shots on goal before settling in for his first win as a Laker, holding off his old Thunder teammates the rest of the way.
The 21-year-old second-year keeper, who came over to the Lakers in an off-season trade from Langley, allowed just four goals in more than 53 minutes of work.
“We just had to pick it up. I got the first game out of the way (a 12-6 loss in Delta) and I couldn’t have played any worse,” said Mayervich after the game. “It makes us believe in each other.”
After a rocky first period start, third star Tyler Kirkby stopped the bleeding with his first of two goals in a five-point outing with a side arm whip shot late in the opening frame.
First star Aidan Milburn counted his first of a season-high five goals three minutes later to pull the home team withing a pair of goals at the interval.
The middle period began and ended with a pair of goals from Burnaby less than a minute apart, which changed the complexion of the game completely.
Milburn and Nick Jensen, with a pair of quick goals on transition, evened the score at 5-5 at 4:38 of the period.
But Langley star Thomas Moffatt, who led the Thunder with a hat trick, gave the visitors its last lead midway through the matchup.
Milburn counted his third and fourth of the game later in the period 22 seconds apart to give Burnaby its first lead of the contest. Burnaby led 8-6 heading into the final period.
The Lakers widened the gap to five goals on a pair from Justin Appels and Milburn’s fifth. Corey Wong also scored on a nifty unassisted counter late in the game in his first game of the season for Burnaby.
“It’s a good one for their confidence,” said Burnaby head coach Brad Parker. “We’ve been working on offence and defence because it has been lacking. But we had a lot of good looks tonight.”
Mayervich is liking his new position as well.
“I’m comfortable with all the players now. I don’t have to worry about anything,” said Mayervich. “You always want to finish up on top of your old team.”
Milburn, who as a rookie last season started the regular season on pace for more than 60 goals before being injured, is off to another hot start and currently leads all scorers with 12 goals and 16 total points in his first three games.
Burnaby is on Vancouver Island this Saturday against Nanaimo, before returning home to host the defending B.C. junior A champion Coquitlam Adanacs at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre on Sunday at 7 p.m.
