The playoff picture in the Western Lacrosse Association is appearing to become a little clearer.
But what isn't as certain is on what side of the playoff cutoff line the Burnaby Lakers might fall.
On Friday, the senior A Lakers gave an unremarkable effort in what was arguably the team's most important matchup of the season to date, losing 10-5 to the surging Coquitlam Adanacs at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre last Friday.
The Lakers gave up a goal on the opening shot of the game from Jason Jones, and despite a decent showing through the rest of the first period, appeared unable to match Coquitlam's level of play from then on.
"No excuses, we didn't have the effort tonight," said Burnaby team captain Bryan Safarik. "These are the games you got to get away with, especially on your own floor."
With just four games left prior to Friday's game versus Coquitlam, the question has to be, "Then why the seeming lack of effort?"
The Lakers have been playing the youth card as a possible excuse in the past. But the Adanacs got significant contributions from three mid-draft rookies in Friday's win that certainly counters that argument.
Righthander Daniel McQuade, a fourth-round pick from New Westminster in the 2012 draft, was the game's first star with two goals and two assists.
Two other Adanac pickups, Leif Mydske from Langley and Mark Negrin from New Westminster were both released from their respective clubs prior to the trade deadline, and chipped in with three points apiece to the win.
"As of late, we've been practising really hard and harping on our fitness," said McQuade after the game. "We're a young team and we're meshing really well and we feel we're a really good team."
Few could dispute that claim following the A's 10-9 win over Nanaimo in Coquitlam on Saturday.
"We have six or seven rookies playing right now. You have to step up," McQuade added. "We're just trying to get in the playoffs. The back-to-backs are big."
Coquitlam's latest win, and fifth in a row, put the A's in a first-place tie with the Langley Thunder, two points up on the third-place Victoria Shamrocks.
New West and Burnaby are tied for fourth spot, a further two points back, while Nanaimo is currently on the outside looking in with 13 points.
Both Langley and Coquitlam have just two games remaining in the regular season.
Burnaby will also have a pair of scheduled games left to play following the outcome of tonight's must-win tilt against the Timbermen in Nanaimo.
The Lakers final home game is Friday at the Copeland centre against Langley. Then it's Saturday in Coquitlam for the final matchup of the season for both teams.
