The Trip
We’ve settled into our new hotel nicely. Today we visited the Victoria Butterfly Garden and Butchart Gardens. They were both beautiful spots and I wish we’d had more time at them both. I liked the Butterfly Garden more because of the turtles and flamingoes that roamed around. While the Butchart Gardens were gorgeous, they didn’t have the animals to give them that extra something like the Butterfly Garden. Not sure what’s on the agenda for tomorrow yet although some of our group are driving up to Nanaimo for the day. They’re not sure what’s there, but they’ll find out when they get there!
The Game
Tuesday was game four, and a big one for the Lakers. A win meant the series was tied, a loss would put them on the brink of elimination. We got seats behind the team’s bench tonight so made sure to cheer extra loud so they could hear the encouragement. The fans around us tonight were all great people, wonderful sports and knowledgable about lacrosse, and able to joke around with us a bit.
We’ve seen two scenarios so far in this series; two two goal games, and two 14 to something goal games. As the Shamrocks did to the Lakers in the opener, tonight the Lakers won 8-6, playing a solid defensive game with Matt Vinc spectacular in goal. The Lakers looked like a completely transformed team from game three when they let emotions get the best of them en route to a penalty filled disappointing loss.
“We’re a competitive group, no one likes losing like that,” Lakers transition man Brad Self said. “It’s a testament to the group we have. That said, we did that in game one, came back in game two had a great game and didn’t show up for game three so we obviously have to learn from that and make sure we’re ready to go for game five.”
Self had two goals on transition in game four including the insurance marker into an empty net in the third period. Curtis Dickson was once again the Lakers go-to man, scoring four goals and adding one assist.
“Especially when you’re looking down 3-1 in the face you know you have to bring your A game especially against a team like [the Shamrocks],” Dickson said. “As an offence as a whole, even though we scored the same amount of goals (from game three), I think we were just moving the ball better out there, taking better shots. It was nice to see. Obviously our defense shut it down like we know they can… Vno was stellar, they were great, and hopefully we get the same effort on both sides of the ball tomorrow night.”
The players are starting to get tired and three games in three nights is not something usually done in either the WLA or MSL, but a national title trumps fatigue.
“Both teams are getting tired, that comes down to a little bit of mentality and it’s going to be a war of that,” Self said. “Strong mentality as much as it is a physical game. It’s a battle mentally to stay strong, stay sharp no matter what part of the game or what game it is and we’re going to have to continue to stay sharp and hopefully clean that mess up a little bit.”
Mark Steenhuis also had a goal for the Lakers.
“It’s a grind and that’s the beauty thing about the Mann Cup, not only a seven game series but the duration of the series is packed into 9-10 days,” Steenhuis said. “It’s an unbelievable challenge for both teams to get through and we really want to step up.”
The Lakers added Scott Evans back into the lineup now that the teams have gotten all their sillies out and have settled down to play lacrosse. Evans responded with a goal and an assist.
“He’s a big body out there, he creates space for me and Shawny and Steiner out there,” Dickson said. “It’s just an extra body to have, we’re getting tired, it’s a grind playing in back to back games like this and it’s nice to have him out there.”
Eric Shewell was scratched to make room for Evans. Holden Cattoni played his second straight game. Waiting in the wings should they be needed are Pete Rennie, Josh Currier, and Zach Currier.
Jesse King led the Shamrocks with two goals and an assist. Monday’s hero Corey Small had four assists. Rhys Duch, Dan Dawson, and Scott Ranger were all 1-1. Greg Harnett provided one goal.
Dan MacRae of the Shamrocks said his team was disappointed with their game four loss, especially having been in the position of up 2-1 before losing three straight in the past two Mann Cups. They are hoping history does not repeat itself this year.
“It’s games and momentum,” MacRae said. “That second period they rode a pretty good momentum swing there. Defensively we just had couple of little mental breakdowns. When you have to come from behind against a team like that, you’re going to be battling uphill. Hats off to them, they played a great third period and a good all around game. We expected a great Peterborough team coming in here and that’s what we’re getting. Nobody thought it was going to be any of those first two rounds that we saw in the WLA. Nobody expected a sweep so we’re going to take every game as it comes, learn from our mistakes and keep building, and we think we have the group to do it. We played a pretty solid game. Couple breakdowns defensively, couple bounces didn’t go our way offensively. We’re going to come right back tomorrow night, go to the grindstone and we’re confident that we’re going to get the job done.”
Gamesmanship
While the issue of wooden sticks has almost been set aside—as noted below, Wenster Green used one tonight for the Lakers, and Rory Smith had one for the Shamrocks, as he always does, but for some reason, Shamrocks fans seem to think that the Lakers are playing a tougher game than they do in the WLA. This was news to me, as I figured the west was the tough league—it is in junior hockey, my other main sport. Kids playing junior hockey out here tend to be bigger and stronger and hit more, so assuming that logic follows to lacrosse, the east teams should be at a disadvantage when it comes to physical play.
“I’ve always heard, playing in the east, haven’t had a chance to play out here, I’ve always heard that it’s a bit of a rougher game out here from people that have come out from the east and guys from the west,” said Steenhuis. “That it’s a bit more rough and tough out here. If this series is any indication, it definitely is, it’s hard fought, getting bruises, getting beat up. It actually makes you feel great, after the game you’ll take those bruises especially if you come out on top.”
The Lakers are certainly no stranger to toughness, having faced Rory Smith and Steve Priolo in many previous MSL battles.
Victoria coach Bob Heyes suggests that the roughness, and more so the mind games hacking and slashing can create, come from the east.
“There’s a lot of gamesmanship going on,” Heys said. “Between the east and the west there’s always a ton of that. The east loves playing the little games and the mind games and that’s totally fine, that’s probably why they’ve won nine Mann Cups in a row, because they know how to play those little games. We’re not going to play into that stuff and I think neither team can afford to do anything goofy. It’s playing lacrosse and that’s what the game deserves right now.
“People are writing online [not at ILWT—some other sources] that these games are a black eye on the game; they’re not. This is the Mann Cup. This is what Canadian senior lacrosse championships are all about, is that it’s all part of a process.
“The next three games are going to be the best lacrosse you’re going to see this year in the world. You’re going to see guys who are playing for the love of the game. Not getting paid, playing for the love of the game. That’s what it all comes down to, the fans in Peterborough and Victoria are going to love this.”
Both teams can deny until they’re blue in the face that they don’t play head games, but who really wouldn’t take advantage of a mental edge, as Self talked about earlier, if they could get it and it could help them win?
Notes:
- The Lakers kept their wooden sticks on the bench again for game four, but one player did elect to use them; Wenster Green, a Lakers rookie, whose home is in Six Nations and grew up playing with wooden sticks. Most other Lakers aren’t used to the woodies but Green was able to wield the stick like a pro in the game, and from my vantage point, did not use it much to harass any Shamrocks.
- The 50/50 draw amount has increased every game, starting around $2400 and creeping up to over $2800 tonight. I finally bought tickets. I did not win. Can I win? I need to pay for this trip!
- Dickson and King were named their respective team’s players of the game.
- Big thanks to the restaurant at the Sheraton hotel for staying open for the players, families, and fans after the game. They were hoping to close at 10 pm but suddenly 40 people showed up wanting food and drink! Everyone was in better spirits because of the win. I know Victoria fans really want it, too, but the city of Peterborough needs a win.
