In the words of actor Steve McQueen in the 1966 movie The Sand Pebbles, “I was almost home, what the hell happened.”
The Burnaby Lakers are now in a similar situation following Tuesday’s 9-6 loss to Maple Ridge at home.
Leading 6-2 midway through the second period Burnaby’s Western Lacrosse Association playoff hopes suddenly came crashing down upon them.
The Burrards took advantage of a retaliatory slashing penalty and turned their game around on first star Ben McInosh’s first of three goals in the must-win matchup.
“We definitely knew we didn’t play well in the first period,” said Burrards rookie Connor Goodwin. “Everyone was talking about it, either start playing or we’re going home.
Maple Ridge added a tally on the extra-man and Goodwin drew the visitors to within a goal, before setting up McIntosh for the game-tying counter just before the second period ended.
In the final frame, Maple Ridge blanked the Lakers with three unanswered markers.
Burnaby opened the first period, scoring four times on a dozen shots, while Tye Belanger was solid in goal, allowing just one Maple Ridge marker on 11 shots.
Robert Church registered a hat trick for Burnaby in the first 29 minutes of the contest.
But all that good ball sense was abandoned in the second half of the game in no small part to indifferent defensive markings and undisciplined penalties, almost all of which the Burrards took advantage of.
“We felt we had a bad period and I think (the Lakers) felt they had won the game,” said Goodwin.
With the win, Maple Ridge drew even with the Lakers with 18 points apiece.
Burnaby closes out its regular season against New Westminster on Thursday.
Langley complicated matters with a win against Coquitlam in its final two league meetings, leaving a possible three-way tie with Burnaby and the Burrards as one almost certain scenerio.
According to the WLA tie break policy, the team with the most wins overall in the regular season would win out, said league commissioner Ernie Truant.
With all three teams currently tied with nine victories, the team with the most wins over the rest of those tied would prevail.
In this case, the three-team deadlock is still unresolved, so the team with the most goals for and against each other will be used as the third tiebreak option.
That would leave the Lakers out of the playoff picture and Langley and Maple Ridge claiming the third and fourth places in league standings.
If Burnaby defeats New Westminster in Thursday’s final league game at Queen’s Park Arena, the Lakers and Burrards are in the playoffs.
If Langley wins its remaining match against Victoria on Friday, Maple Ridge would then be the odd team out.
