The Burnaby Lakers started the Western Lacrosse Association season like a lion.
The senior A Lakers started the 2014 season with a 12-11 overtime win at Queen’s Park over the previously unbeaten New Westminster Salmonbellies on May 29. Burnaby then treated the home crowd to a 10-6 victory over Nanaimo at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre the next day.
In Burnaby’s season opener, the Lakers jumped out to a 5-2 first-period lead, but allowed their hosts to remain in it by not cracking down on defence,” said first star Jason Jones.
Jones led all scorers with four goals and three assists in the win, including a nice set up to a cutting Tyler Digby for the game-winning goal in OT.
“We definitely let up a bit,” said Jones, who has already scored half of last season’s 12 total goals. “I think we were rusty on the D … but a game’s a game and when you haven’t played in a while, you definitely feel rust.”
Justin Salt, with a hat trick from the back end, and lefthander Dane Stevens with two goals and two helpers, were both looking a bit more oiled in their execution and finish.
Junior Delta callup Eli McLaughlin also didn’t look out of place in the Burnaby lineup, recording three assists.
Tyler Richards made 47 stops to get his first win in Laker green, but the quality of this goalkeeping showed in the third and overtime periods, when he made some tough saves on a number of one-on-one chances from the ’Bellies.
Burnaby was up 10-6 late in the second period, when New West gave its new acquisition, Alexis Buque, a turn in goal.
The two-time Minto Cup winner with the Whitby Warriors sparkled in his WLA debut, allowing just two goals on 18 shots the rest of the way.
With Buque in goal, New West went on a 5-1 run to force overtime, but Digby’s finish spoiled the young goaltender’s first senior A start.
"For us, it's a building-block game," said Salmonbellie captain Curtis Hodgson, the third 'Bellie captain to herald from Burnaby since Eric Cowieson in 1982 and most recently Nenad Gajic. "The loss hurts, but the energy and attitude was positive."
On Friday, Ilija Gajic opened the scoring against the Timbermen with his first goal since being traded to the Lakers. Casey Jackson also starred in his game back, leading all scorers with four goals, including the game-winner midway through the final period, as Burnaby came back to win the game with six unanswered tallies in an eight-minute span.
Robert Church was the game’s first star with a game-high six points, including his second goal of the game that sparked the third-period outburst. Richards was also in the cage for Friday’s win.
“We love the win. We have to clean up some of the errors and we’ll be alright,” added Jones.
Burnaby plays back-to-back games this week, beginning at home against the Langley Thunder on Friday at 7:45 p.m. and then Saturday at 7 p.m. in Coquitlam.
