The Burnaby Lakers escaped what can only be described as some Vancouver Island angst before pulling out an all-important 14-12 overtime victory over Nanaimo in Western Lacrosse Association play on Friday.
The senior A Lakers were looking pretty in the opening 20 minutes, flushing from an 8-1 lead over the visiting Nanaimo Timbermen before a near turn-around in fortunes over the next two periods threatened the teams playoff hopes.
In a game that had many similarities to an earlier heartbreaking 11-9 loss to Victoria at home, Burnaby managed to hang on to the win in extra time at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre.
Rookie lefthander Casey Jackson, with a career-high four goals and seven points, tallied the game-tying marker at 18: 38 of the third period.
Jackson's hat-trick goal in the opening minute of the final frame gave Burnaby a short-lived 11-7 lead.
Nanaimo, behind back-toback shorthanded tallies by Cody Bremner, rallied with five straight counters, including the go-ahead marker by league scoring leader Scott Ranger.
But Burnaby proved the better team in OT. Former Nanaimo junior Colton Clark got the gamewinner, notching his second of the game from the baseline in the third minute. Peter McFetridge iced the win into an empty net with just five seconds left on the clock.
"It's kind of been our Achilles heel this season. We have to learn how to keep the lead," said Clark after the game.
"It's a game of runs. No one says, 'They're not going to score goals.' We just have to score more goals. But this way it's a bit more gutwrenching."
The Coquitlam Adanacs moved into a second-place tie with the Lakers following an 118 win over Maple Ridge on Sunday.
Burnaby will host the Adanacs at the Copeland centre this Friday, with a followup must-win game in Nanaimo against the TMen on Sunday.
