With both series’ getting under way for the 2014 WLA playoffs and the road to the Mann cup tonight, we take a look at the second series being Maple Ridge Burrards versus the Burnaby Lakers.
Both teams are coming into the post season on a high note finishing one and two in WLA standing respectively but it’s the big name players on Maple Ridge that I think will really make this series interesting. Even though he only played in 5 games due to MLL/Team Canada commitments Curtis Dickson will be looking to get back to his stellar playoff form (if you remember he had a strong post season for the Calgary Roughnecks of the NLL), he only managed 15 points (5G,10A) but he is one of the few players whose presence alone can change a game. He also has a stellar supporting cast with Riley Loewen finishing as the top scorer on the team and seventh overall respectively with 56 points (26G,30A) as well as Jarrett Davis close behind tied for tenth in the league with 51 points (14G,37A) and Andrew Murphy three points behind, this team has shown it has the offensive skill to compete with any team in the league, Oh, and Frankie Scigliano’s minimal 6.65 GAA isn’t to bad either so this could turn into a barn burner series!
The Burnaby Lakers finished the WLA season in second place overall and they have shown all season they can put up points and stay in tight games against great teams. Although all three games were close the Lakers won the season series against the Burrard 2-1, minus a 12-8 game the other two were within two goals (10-8/8-7) so these teams stack up very well against each other and that 10-8 game was an OT win so that add’s even more to the series. The biggest threat against Maple Ridge this season for the Lakers was Casey Jackson. He finished second on the team in scoring and eighth respectively in the WLA and torched the Burrards for 14 points in three games, but, the Burrards can’t forget about the team leading scorer Dane Stevens and fifth in the league overall with 58 points (24G,34A) is just as strong a candidate as Jackson to take over a game and a series to give defenders headaches all night, Tyler Richards will take the starting role in the post season finishing the season with an 8-6 record and a consistent .800 save percentage will be looked upon to shut down a high scoring team and make the WLA finals!
Games times are as follows:
Wed 6/14
7:45 Burrards @ Lakers (Copeland Arena)
Sat 9/14
7:45 Lakers @ Burrards (Planet Ice)
Mon 11/14
Burrards @ Lakers (Copeland Arena)
Tue 12/14
7:45 Lakers @ Burrards (Planet Ice)
Thu 14/14
7:45 Burrards @ Lakers (Copeland Arena) ***
Sat 16/14
7:45 Lakers @ Burrards (Planet Ice) ***
Mon 18/14
7:45 Burrards @ Lakers (Copeland Arena) ***
*** -If necessary
