The 2015 Canadian Lacrosse League (CLax) playoffs started with a bang last night as the Ohsweken Demons held off a hard charging Durham Turfdogs team enroute to a 13-11 semi-final victory.
The Ohsweken Demons came out hard in the first quarter scoring four straight goals before Durham was able to get on the board. Ohsweken’s Chris Attwood had a huge quarter scoring four of the Demons’ five goals in the frame. At the 4:44 mark, Cole Murray would replace Kevin Croswell in the Durham net. Dylan Goddard would add two for Durham, and the Demons would lead 5-2 at the end of the first.
In the second, the Durham Turfdogs would show they wouldn’t give up without a fight, outscoring the Demons 3-1 in the quarter and pulling themselves within one goal going into half-time. Durham’s Josh Wasson would score all three Durham goals and Mo Bissell replied for the Demons.
The third quarter was a high-flying affair with the lead changing three times over the course of the frame. The Turfdogs would take an early lead on back to back goals from Josh Wasson (4), and Geoff McNulty. Wayne VanEvery would tie it up for Ohsweken only to have Durham’s McNulty (2) take the lead back less a minute later. Ohsweken would get back to back goals of their own from Rodd Squire and Blue Hill, giving them a 9-8 lead. However, Durham’s Geoff McNulty (3) would complete his hat trick and the two teams would go into the fourth tied 9-9. Shortly after McNulty’s third goal, Ohsweken’s Jake Henhawk would be replaced by Chase Martin in net, showing that he was still feeling the effects of a shot off the face mask that happened earlier in the game.
In the fourth, the Demons would take a three goal lead on goals from Chris Attwood (5), Roger Vyse, and Dewey Porter. The Turfdogs would continue to battle, finally getting on the board with five minutes remaining when Tim Bergin would bury a goal behind Chase Martin. Brandon Armstrong would add a second for the Turfdogs just fifteen seconds later to bring Durham back within one goal with 4:43 remaining in the game. However, the comeback bid would come up short as Ohsweken’s Wayne VanEvery would score on a feed from Chris Attwood to put the Demons up by two with just under two minutes remaining, and the Demons would hang on for a 13-11 win.
With the victory, the Ohsweken Demons advance to the Creator’s Cup final where they will face the winner of the second semi-final between the Barrie Blizzard and Southwest Cyclops, which takes place on Thursday, April 2 at 8 p.m. at the Barrie Molson Centre.
