The Burnaby Lakers made themselves a little bit better following a twofor-one trade, but they still have a long way to go.
Nineteen-year-old Langley Thunder acquisition Connor Buick scored his first B.C. Junior Lacrosse League goal in a 16-6 loss to the New Westminster Salmonbellies on Sunday.
Buick scored a pair of goals in his debut with the Lakers following a trade that saw the Kitimat product and Matt Sweet dealt to Burnaby in return for Bryan Gillis.
"I was playing defence in Langley and I wanted a shot on offence, so I made the most of it," said Buick, who welcomes the opportunity to help turn things around in Burnaby. "I thought to myself, I'm going to get my shot in Burnaby."
Buick's first-ever junior A goal silenced a 4-0 New West run, helped along by a twice successful four minute power play handed out to the Lakers two minutes earlier.
Buick's second of the game came midway through the third period on a loose ball in front of the goal. He also assisted on Burnaby's second goal of the game.
New West led 6-1 after the opening period. But Burnaby did better the rest of the way, holding the second-place 'Bellies to just three goals in the middle frame before tallying four times in the final 20 minutes.
Xander McDonald made 42 saves in the Burnaby cage as New West directed 58 shots on goal.
Reagan Harding and Brandon Goodwin both scored hat tricks for the junior 'Bellies, while former Laker Drew House led all scorers with two goals and four assists. Kyle Dobbie also recorded a six-point game, all assists, for the winners.
"It was a tough game today, but you have to take the good with the bad," Buick added. "We got to work on our defence a bit, but there is a lot of good stuff out there."
Burnaby is in Langley on Thursday.
