The New Westminster Salmonbellies have gotten their groove back – and just in time, too.
The senior A lacrosse club netted its second straight win of the Western Lacrosse Association season on Tuesday, edging the Burnaby Lakers 7-6, thanks to the heroics of a veteran and the scoring skills of a rookie.
Goalie Eric Penney faced a barrage of shots as Burnaby held a 59-to-37 advantage, but could only bury six behind him in a game where New West never trailed.
Freshman Dane Sorensen provided plenty of offensive spark, counting three goals and an assist while working in tandem with Logan Schuss.
It came on the heels of last Thursday’s 14-6 upset of the defending Mann Cup champion Victoria Shamrocks in the Bellies first victory of the year, after starting the season 0-3.
“This game was very big for the team,” said Sorensen of beating Burnaby. “It was a low-scoring game but it was a battle (where) we had to push back.”
The Bellies’ biggest lead came early, when they jumped ahead 3-1 midway through the first. But the Lakers, at 2-2 on the year, applied plenty of pressure and shots.
The two teams traded goals most of the night, but Sorensen delivered a big blow with two seconds remaining in the second period, cashing in his eighth of the season with an extra attacker on the floor.
“It was a good pass by (Logan Schuss). The six-on-five (situation) never works but we put it together. It was good timing,” Sorensen said.
In the third, Tyler Kirkby gave New West a two-goal lead midway into the period, but the Lakers’ Scott Jones capitalized on the powerplay to make it 7-6 with 5:48 remaining.
That’s where it would stay, thanks to Penney.
“(Penney) played well tonight. We got a lot of shots – what did we outshoot them by, 20, 30?” asked Burnaby’s Robert Church. “ We didn’t get our share of goals on offence, but it is what it is.”
Church, who won a National Lacrosse League title on the weekend as a member of the Saskatchewan Rush, counted a goal and two assists for Burnaby in his first game of the season. Also making their 2016 Lakers debut was No. 1 overall draft pick and New West junior grad Josh Byrne, who chipped in a goal and two assists, and Ilija Gajic.
New West’s win over Victoria saw Schuss kick off the season with three goals, while Ben Davies and Chris Nasato tallied two apiece.
For Sorensen, the 0-3 start is in the rearview mirror, with nearly all the players, like fellow 2016 draft pick Michael Messenger, in uniform.
“I think as we build and get together we’re getting better. I think a lot of the players have played together before so its just a matter of getting familiar again.”
New West’s next test puts them up against undefeated Maple Ridge tonight (Thursday), 7:45 p.m. at Queen’s Park Arena.
