Game five of the Mann Cup was held Friday night. As a writer, when you’re asked to recap a game, you try to fit the key plays, highlighting the top players and turning points, while at the same time touching on the biggest storylines that game produced. With this in mind the question following game five was, where do we start?
As fans began to enter the building, there was a sense of wonderment as word began to trickle down that both head coaches, Peterborough’s Jamie Batley and Langley’s Rod Jensen, were suspended by the CLA just under two hours before game time. In a press release by the Canadian Lacrosse Association (that was posted here earlier) the suspensions were explained as being “in relation to conduct off the floor of play.” The press release continued saying, “All members of the CLA are to conduct themselves in accordance with the bylaws, regulations, code of conduct and rules of the organization, both Mr. Jensen and Mr. Batley have been found, by the President, to be in violation of these and based on the CLA policy have been suspended.”
The issue of drug testing has come up numerous times in the Mann Cup as the teams have said they not only weren’t aware of the testing, but the players aren’t even aware of what was being tested for (narcotics, PEDs, etc). Coaches and players from both sides have been not only vocal about the testing protocols, but also, it was reported from around the dressing rooms, in some cases tried to disrupt testing procedures. While no official word was given by the CLA, it’s assumed this is the reason for the suspensions.
Despite the fact there was more walking room behind the benches, there was still a game to play in which one team would leave the building with a chance to win the Mann Cup on Saturday night. Tyler Carlson started the series for the Peterborough Lakers but after his team dropped the first two games, and fell 3-1 in game three Mike Thompson was handed the reins. The team responded to battle back to a two game all tie. With Thompson starting again, the key for Peterborough would be to score on him early and often. While they couldn’t pull off the early part, once the first period hit the halfway mark they figured out the often. Matt Leveque, Kyle McEwen and Shayne Jackson all scored in a twenty-eight second span after two goals were called back by players in the crease. Garrett Billings would make it 4-0 with just over two minutes to play, and that’s how the first would end.
Without the regular head coach on either bench, the question then became, ‘who would lead their respective club’? Even a quick glance at the names on each roster would show which team held the advantage in terms of team leaders. The star-studded lineup of the Lakers has been well documented, and they all contributed in the second period. With Ian Poole in the penalty box early, Tracey Kelusky would get the ball rolling. John Tavares was next as he cut out from the corner and dove through the crease to put one behind Brodie MacDonald. John Grant Jr would score just nine seconds into a four-on-four and Scott Evans would tie things up just past the halfway mark of the period. Kelusky would add a second, which was followed by Shawn Evans and a Kyle Sorenson goal in the final minute for a period total of seven goals. The Peterborough Lakers would lead 7-4 heading into the final frame.
MacDonald was visibly upset with his team’s defensive effort as he left the floor, and when he got into the tunnel he slammed his stick into the ground in frustration. However, being a tall man, on his backswing the stick caught the building’s emergency sprinkler which not only set off the fire alarm, but began showering the hallway behind the Thunder dressing room. The incident not only delayed the game, but it caused MacDonald to change his jersey for the third period as his original one was too wet. Could the night get any stranger?
Through four games, Peterborough had not only outscored Langley in every game, but every period but one (their six goal, second period of game two). In each game, the Lakers also had fifty or more shots each time. After two periods of play, Peterborough had thirty-six, including twenty-three in the second, well on their way to another fifty shot performance. But would they translate into goals? The period started with Peterborough’s bench being called for Too Many Players. After a great save by Mike Thompson, Brad Self took off in transition and scored shorthanded to double up the Thunder. Langley would kill off a penalty to Rob Van Beek, and they would have another chance at the powerplay mere seconds following their man down situation. With eight seconds left in the penalty, Athan Iannucci (who else?) would score for Langley. Cory Vitarelli would restore the four goal cushion with just over five minutes to play.
Slightly less than a minute later tensions would escalate as Scott Evans tried to goat a Thunder player into a fight, but when he declined, ripped the helmet off and fought him anyway. Evans was assessed five minutes for fighting, plus a misconduct for instigating. With Peterborough playing the remainder of the game short-handed, it was up to Mark Steenhuis to run the ball around and kill the clock twice, including once when he had a clear path to the net, but ran the ball out of harms way to continue killing the clock. His efforts in the final minutes, and Mike Thompson’s throughout the game, won the game for Peterborough and a chance to hoist the Mann Cup on Saturday night.
Thompson has turned things around for Peterborough after not dressing for games one and two, and taking over the starter’s role eight minutes into game three. He saved thirty-five of forty shots faced including a number point blank in the early goings as Langley came out strong. MacDonald was shouldered with his third straight loss despite facing less than fifty shots for the first time. The Langley Thunder trio of Lewis Ratcliff, Athan Iannucci and Garrett Billings combined for just six points on the night (zero, three and three respectively). Shayne Jackson, however, had a solid game with three points of his own (one goal, two assists). It appears Peterborough has figured out the top trio, so it will be up to players like Jackson to step up.
As mentioned, game six will go on Saturday night. Both teams will once again be without the coaches they’ve fought with and for all season long. The hardware will be in the building, but the question is, who will that motivate more: Peterborough and the chance to hoist it, or Langley as they see their chance slip away for a second year in a row?
All will be revealed at 7pm (EST) Saturday night.
