In a tight series like that of the WLA finals, a win in double overtime could be the turning point one side needs to break out and energize themselves and push toward the finish line. The series between the Langley Thunder and Coquitlam Adanacs has been a clinic in superior goaltending hosted by the former’s Brodie MacDonald and the latter’s Nick Rose. Rose was named WLA MVP shortly before this series started, and he’s proving why saving fifty-four of sixty-two shots on Saturday night in a seventy-four minute losing effort. Unfortunately, in the sport of lacrosse sometimes games can still be decided in the schoolyard fashion – ‘next goal wins’.
If a sudden victory goal can energize a team, their goaltender can be just as energized when no one is talking about him but rather his counterpart 190 feet away. Coming into the series, given Rose’s play all summer, few gave Langley, or MacDonald any credit. But he has matched Rose save for save, and it showed Saturday.
After splitting the ten minute overtime period 1-1, the game went to a sudden victory double-overtime period. It’s been said in the past, including a few times on this site, game four is the most important game of a (seven game) playoff series. Either the series will be swept, tied two all, or someone leaves the building with control. Alex Turner’s goal at the four minute mark of double-overtime handed the game to Langley, as well as a 3-1 stranglehold on the series. Should they claim victory Monday night the Thunder will book their ticket to Peterborough to play for their second consecutive Mann Cup.
Already fans are headed to online chat rooms and fan forums to congratulate the Lakers on winning the Mann Cup. Not so fast. Yes, the 2011 Thunder that shocked fans by winning the WLA last season lost to the Brampton Excelsiors in five games in BC. And, yes, that probably would’ve been four if the big boys from Brampton were able to make the trip for game one. But this is not the 2011 Langley Thunder.
Of Langley’s seven players with twenty or more regular season points, only one (Athan Iannucci) dressed for an NLL club this season. The 2012 version of the club boasts eight players over twenty points, and three of those were in the NLL this season. (Of course, Brodie MacDonald started in goal for both of those teams.)
All of that may come into play on September 7th, but for now, Langley still has one more game of the remaining three to win. Obviously, if the Thunder win the series they’ll want to do so sooner, rather than later with Peterborough not having to take a flight across the country and sitting idle for two full weeks.
Not only Nick Rose will be trying to stop them. Dane Dobbie is scoring at a rate of four points per game in the playoffs, so he’ll be strong. Kevin Olsen is on a slightly lesser three points a game pace, but the surprise of the playoffs so far is Daryl Veltman. Veltman kept pace with Dobbie all season long, but in the playoffs, he is only putting up 2.5 points per game. The rest of the series lies in Dobbie’s ability to control his adrenaline when things get heated, and Veltman’s ability to hit the scoresheet. Make no mistake though, all the success of this team lies in what Nick Rose does between the pipes.
Langley could be Mann Cup bound as soon as Monday night but Coquitlam won’t go quietly. The game begins at 8pm (PST) and can be seen via pay-per-view webcast by visiting www.theboxrocks.com.
