Coquitlam Adanacs had a very rare opportunity tonight (Thursday) to eliminate the New Westminster Salmonbellies from the Western Lacrosse Association playoffs.
Given his past long-time association with the 'Bellies, one would think A's head coach Bob Salt would be hell-bent to see it happen. And he is -- sort of.
In his second year in Coquitlam, Salt guided the 'Bellies for the previous seven campaigns, including to three league titles in four years before being fired prior to the start of last season and replaced by Port Moody native Ken Thomas.
But rather than taking it personally, Salt was looking at it more professionally Wednesday. He merely saw it as an opportunity to end the post-season hopes of a very talented group of players, many of whom he helped mold into the sharp-shooters they are today. Or at least they were.
"I don't think there's any of that [animosity]," Salt told The Tri-City News regarding the next night's tilt at Queen's Park Arena, after the paper's deadline. "I think they're a very good team and why not eliminate them if we can? They have lots of experience, lots of talent and they're a pretty rugged bunch, too... they'd be tough [to beat] in a seven-game series, I tell ya."
Instead, Salt was hoping for two victories to end the regular season - over New West and then the Burnaby Lakers a 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Poirier Sports Complex - and perhaps clinch first place in the seven-team loop. It would be a terrific turnaround from last season, when the A's finished last and missed the playoffs for the first time in 19 years.
After starting this season 1-5-0 and climbing to 5-6-0 just past the midway point, the A's have rattled off five straight victories, the most recent being back-to-back 10-5 and 10-9 wins last weekend over the Burnaby Lakers and Nanaimo Timbermen respectively.
"The spirits are good," said Salt, a former WLA playing legend who steered the 'Bellies to an 88-35-4 record during his coaching tenure with them. "Why wouldn't they be? We're winning and everybody's happy."
Salt also knows how quickly that can change, especially in a league that's seen more parity than he can recall in recent memory. The A's entered the week at 10-6-0, tied for first with the defending-champion Langley Thunder. Victoria Shamrocks and Burnaby were knotted for third, both just two points back, while the now 8-8-0 'Bellies sat fifth and just four points out of top spot.
Salt said the five-goal win over 8-6-2 Burnaby was perhaps the A's best all-around showing of the season.
"They're a good team," he said. "We shut them down and got the job done at the other end of the floor, too."
The A's broke open a 2-2 tie after the first period by out-scoring the Lakers 5-2 in the second. The well-balanced A's got two tallies each from Kevin Olson and Daniel McQuade and singles from Mark Negrin, Ryan Johnson, Jason Jones, Daryl Veltman and Dane Dobbie. Against Nanaimo, Veltman bagged three goals and Coquitlam native Steve McKinlay contributed a pair to pace the A's.
