The junior A Salmonbellies find themselves down for the first time this season.
The regular season B.C. Junior Lacrosse League champions lost back-to-back games for the first time this year, losing 11-6 in Coquitlam on Friday and 11-7 at home the following night.
The losses leave the New Westminster club behind two games to one in the B.C. best-of-seven playoff final.
In both games, New West started strong but failed to hold onto the advantage in the later periods.
In Coquitlam, the junior ’Bellied jumped out to a 3-0 lead, all on power-play goals, before Coquitlam pickup James Rahe broke the ice late in the period.
The A’s then quickly erased New West’s 4-1 advantage with five unanswered goals in the middle frame, led by a Wesley Berg hat trick. Berg led all players with four goals and seven points as Coquitlam continued to roll in the third period, chalking up a 5-2 advantage.
At Queen’s Park, New West’s big guns Josh Byrne, Anthony Malcom, Brett Dobray and Johnny Pearson all collected a goal in the first five minutes of play.
But Tyler Pace helped Coquitlam rally to tie with the first two of his three goals in the late first-period push.
Delta pickup Eli McLaughlin led all scorers with two goals and seven points, including the game-winner in a five-goal third-period finish for the A’s.
Berg also had a big night with two goals and three assists.
Pete Dubenski was solid again in goal for Coquitlam, improving on Friday’s 34-save performance with 38 stops at Queen’s Park.
New Westminster starter Ross Bowman had just 18 saves in the Salmonbellies cage on Saturday.
Game 4 of the series will be played in Coqutlam on Monday. Game time is 7:30 p.m.
