The semi-final matchups are set for Major Series Lacrosse on the road to the Mann Cup. After waiting and watching, both the Six Nations Chiefs and Brooklin Redmen – top seeds in the West and East divisions respectively – will now begin preparing for the Brampton Excelsiors and Peterborough Lakers. While the official final schedule has yet to be decided at the time of this writing, the two series will be entertaining. No disrespect to either the Ajax Rock or the Kitchener/Waterloo Kodiaks, but the matchups come as no real surprise. As the season progressed, it was looking more and more like MSL was a four-team league, as opposed to the traditional two. Now, those four teams remain to fight for the right to host Canada’s top prize.
Here is how the matchups shape up:
(Writer’s Note: seedings in brackets denote final overall MSL standings, not division seeding)
Western Finals: (4) Brampton Excelsiors at (2) Six Nations Chiefs
Of Six Nations four losses on the season, two of them came at the hands of the Excelsiors. Both of those losses, however, came at the Powerade Center. Only a maximum of three games will be played in Brampton’s barn, so the defending Mann Cup champions will have to find a way to win at least one at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena. That could be tough considering Six Nations’ home record was 5-1-1 in the regular season.
In both games at ILA in the regular season, Brampton not only lost twice, but only managed to score a total of nine goals. They lost their games by three and four goals respectively, while their wins both came by one goal margins. Mike Poulin knows how to stop the ball in the Chiefs building, and any arena for that matter. He is, after all, the defending NLL goaltender of the year. But he’ll be facing Anthony Cosmo, the defending Mann Cup MVP. It’s entirely possible the goaltenders could steal the show.
No matter who the opposition has thrown in front of the Chiefs, they’ve found multiple ways to score. While they did finish third in the league in scoring with 134 goals, their +29 goal differential was second only to Peterborough’s. When the top scoring line consists of Colin Doyle, Cody Jamieson, Craig Point, Rhys Duch and a breakout season from Alex Kedoh Hill, is there any wonder why the goals keep going in?
Brampton’s scoring struggles were well documented this season as they came away with one more goal than the league worst Ajax’s 93. Six Nations scored 41 more than Brampton in the regular season. Brampton continues to struggle even now, although they look good on the floor, they’ve still managed eight goals three times, and eleven just once in the post season. Eight goals were only enough to beat the Chiefs four times this year, and it did. It’s this reason the Six Nations Chiefs should find themselves headed to the MSL final.
Eastern Finals: (3) Peterborough Lakers at (1) Brooklin Redmen
Brooklin ended the season winning five of their final six games, including four on the road. It was this play that allowed them to sneak into first overall and clinch the top spot, assuring them home floor as long as they are in the playoffs. Unfortunately, when they are away from home in this series, they will seem a long way from home in Peterborough. Brooklin was led by 2011 and 2012 scoring champion Shawn Williams, and his counterpart Derek Hopcroft. While Williams scored 120 points in 2011, he only managed 80 this year, albeit through six less games. Projecting his points totals over a twenty game season, he still would’ve only finished at 114. Hopcroft, meanwhile, also saw his twenty-game projection total fall from 84 in 2011 to a projected 78 (from an actual 55 in fourteen games).
Part of the reason for the decline in numbers is the rise of Kiel Matisz. While Williams and Hopcroft stole the show, and sat atop the MSL scoreboard last season, Matisz snuck in to join them this year finishing fifth in league scoring with forty points in twelve games. The additional threat has taken some pressure off the big two, and helped the offense. With Aaron Bold’s 10-4 record however, they didn’t need much help.
And then there are those atop the leaderboard for Peterborough. See also, their roster page. Such has been the case with the Lakers for numerous years. Peterborough ended the season with a staggering +57 goal differential, led mostly by their potent offense. Their 169 goals were not only tops in MSL, but a full twenty-six goals ahead of their nearest rival. The Lakers did not hit double-digits in scoring in only four games this season – three of which they scored nine, winning two of these games.
The biggest question is, can anyone stop John Grant Jr? Yes, he finished ninth in league scoring with thirty-seven points. But he still led the league in goals with twenty-four. Oh yeah, and the reigning NLL MVP played in just eight games. Had Junior played the entire fourteen game season, he was on pace for forty-two goals scored. By comparison, in last year’s twenty game season, Hopcroft led the league in goals with forty-four. John Grant Jr has to be salivating waiting for the chance to keep up his impressive year.
Both Brooklin and Peterborough have rosters that can win any series any day of the week. But even without the likes of Grant, Tracey Kelusky, Chad Culp and Scott Evans, the Lakers have won. Without Williams and Hopcroft, would Brooklin have done what they did?
Comments are closed.