After a pair of back-to-back wins in Week 7 action, the Barrie Blizzard (3-4) are riding high heading into their final game of the Canadian Lacrosse League (CLax) regular season.
The Blizzard spoiled the Oshweken Demons (7-1) chances for a perfect regular season record with a 16-14 road victory.
Reigning CLax Rookie of the Year Caleb Wiles (4 G, 4 A) had an outstanding eight points for the Blizzard in the win.
Honorable mention for Week 7 CLax Rookie of the Week Martin Whittaker (4 G, 2 A) had six points for Barrie. Each of Whittaker’s four goals came in the closing 20 minutes, including a hat-trick performance in the fourth quarter to help seal the victory for Barrie.
Geoff McNulty and Jonas Derks combined for 12 points versus Oshweken, mirroring each other’s stats with six points (3 G, 3 A).
Chris Attwood (4 G, 3 A) had seven points for Oshweken in a losing effort. Josh Johnson (4 G, 3 A) also had seven points for the Demons, while Roger Vyse (2 G, 3 A) contributed five points.
Barrie continued their momentum into a Sunday afternoon match-up versus the Durham Turfdogs (1-7), squeaking out a 12-11 win on the Molson Centre turf. With the victory, Barrie clinched a spot in the CLax playoffs.
Wiles added another five points (4 G, 1 A) versus Durham, finishing with 13 points in the pair of wins and earning CLax Offensive Player of the Week recognition.
Travis Gibbons (2 G, 1 A) had three points in the win. Since being acquired by the Blizzard from the Niagara Lock Monsters, the Owen Sound, ON native has notched 14 points in three games.
Spencer Janes netted a pair of tallies for Barrie, while Derks (1 G, 1 A), McNulty, AJ Masson, and Rob Koger each had lone goals in the win.
Gavin Prout (4 G, 3 A), Josh Wasson (2 G, 4 A), and Dylan Goddard (2 G, 4 A) carried Durham in the loss, combining for 19 points. Scott Defrancesco chipped in a pair of goals.
Barrie will look to conclude the regular season on a four-game winning streak when the SouthWest Cyclops (2-5) travel to the Molson Centre Sunday, March 23 at 2 pm, in what marks the only game on the Week 8 CLax schedule. Barrie initially kicked off their current winning streak with an early March defeat of the Cyclops. The winner of the match-up will clinch third place in the CLax final standings.
