The 2019 MSL playoff picture is almost set after a 10-6 loss to the Brooklin Lacrosse Club knocked the Cobourg Kodiaks out of contention for fourth spot on Wednesday night.
The Kodiaks were all but mathematically eliminated going into the game after dropping eight-straight games midseason. They would have needed to win both their remaining games by large margins to squeak by either the Brampton Excelsiors or Oakville Rock. The Kodiaks started the season with a strong 5-1 record but trailed off and only picked up one more win along the way after running into stronger competition. They’ll close out the regular season on Sunday evening against the Peterborough Lakers, who are looking to clinch first place over Six Nations tonight.
Against Brooklin, the Kodiaks started slowly, allowing the BLC to build a 3-0 lead by the 7:03 mark of the first. Jake Fox scored with a hard right shot at 3:12. A minute and a half later, Kodiaks’ goalie Kevin Croswell made a great save but Nick Chaykowsky scooped up a rebound that nobody else saw and came around the front of the net to score. Julian Garritano capitalized on a three-on-one to cap the run. Bennett Drake scored a pair of goals for Cobourg to cut into the deficit but Ryan MacSpadyen scored on a two-on-zero to put Brooklin up 4-2 at the end of the period.
The second period followed a pattern: Brooklin would score twice and then Ben French would score for Cobourg. Fox, Justin Robinson, Dawson Theede and Connor Kearnen had the BLC goals and they led 8-4 after the second.
Each team scored twice in the third period with rookie defender Justin Lemcke scoring his second goal of the season to end the game.
Cobourg was 0/2 on the power play but they didn’t take any penalties themselves. After the opening three goals, Croswell played very well in net despite seeing very limited action throughout the season. Riley Hutchcraft was equally as strong in Brooklin’s net though the shots he faced were fewer.
Brooklin will finish in sixth place. Their current record is 3-13 and they have two more games before they end the season.
The regular season wraps up on August 1st.
