The Coquitlam Adanacs' drive for a perfect playoff performance hit a roadblock Wednesday night. The New Westminster Salmonbellies downed the Adanacs 14-9 at the Palace on Poirier to force a Game 4 in the B.C. Junior A Lacrosse League finals.
Coquitlam had won its first five playoff games and was poised to enter the Minto Cup with a perfect playoff record. The Adanacs' quest for a fifth-straight league championship resumes Friday at Queen's Park Arena.
"We knew it wasn't going to be easy. Both teams are very good. They got up on us early and we were chasing all night and it's not easy to chase in this game," said Coquitlam head coach Neil Doddridge.
The Adanacs ran into penalty trouble throughout the game - giving up four power-play goals while being unable to capitalize on their two chances.
"We didn't have a (full two-minute) power play until the third period. I can't explain it, the refs call it and we play it," said Doddridge.
Peter Dubenski was chased from the net 10 minutes into the first after surrendering four goals on 10 shots. He returned to the game with 15 minutes remaining in the third, replacing Davide DiRuscio, who turned aside 30 of the 37 shots he faced.
The Adanacs suffered another blow when playoff scoring leader Wesley Berg (12 goals and 16 assists in six games) left in the second period and didn't return.
"I don't know where he went. Did he leave?" Doddridge said with a chuckle.
New Westminster also didn't escape unscathed as Ross Bowman was forced into the Salmonbellies' net after Frank Scigliano was injured 12:45 into the first when he was run into by his own defender.
"I like Franky, he's a good goalie. I hope he's OK, no one likes to see that," said Doddridge.
Steven Neufeld netted a hat trick for the Adanacs, with Berg and Matt Delmonico each scoring a pair and singles going to Michael Messenger and Reid Reinholdt.
Both teams could face league discipline for a fight-filled final minute of the third period.
Doddridge said the team will take the positives out of Wednesday night's loss and reset for Friday's matchup at Queen's Park Arena.
"We'll readjust our defence and hopefully won't get as many penalties and play a bit more five-on-five," he said. "We dominated them [Tuesday] and they came back with a good effort and they deserved to win this game. Tomorrow's a new day."
Neufeld and Berg each scored hat tricks Tuesday to help the Adanacs to a 12-5 win in New Westminster. Michael Messenger, Evan Wortley, Matt Delmonico, Cole Shafer, Jean-Luc Chetner and Tyler Garrison also scored for Coquitlam.
Game 5, if necessary, will go Sunday at 7:30 p.m. at the Coquitlam Sports Centre.
Thunderstruck
The Senior Adanacs pushed the Langley Thunder to the brink again Tuesday night before eventually falling 8-6 to the Western Lacrosse Association regular season champs.
"We just can't seem to score when we have to," said head coach Bob Salt. "Lacrosse is a game where you've got to score when you get your chances and we couldn't [Tuesday] night again."
A pair of quick goals by Daryl Veltman pulled the Adanacs even early in the third, but the end result was the same as Game 1 when Coquitlam squandered an 8-7 third-period lead to fall 10-8.
"The defence is playing terrific and Shooter [Adam Shute] in goal is as good as anybody in this league right now," said Salt. "I don't think we have to do a whole lot of things different other than put the ball in the net."
Veltman is one Adanac not having a problem finding the net. He notched four goals Tuesday night to push him to fifth in playoff scoring with six goals and one assist.
"He's a leader and he moves the ball very well. He's a very intelligent lacrosse player," said Salt. "A lot of our guys seem to be shooting at the same spot, maybe because they're young, I don't know why. He's mixing his shots up so Brodie [MacDonald] can't get a feel for him. Shoot low, then high, then bounce it over him. In this day in lacrosse everybody watches film so they catch on to you real quick."
Brett Hickey added a goal and three assists for Coquitlam with Travis Cornwall providing the other goal. Matthew Dinsdale supplied three assists.
The Thunder took a 2-0 series lead into Thursday's Game 3 with Game 4 in the best-of-seven series going Saturday at 7:45 p.m. at the Coquitlam Sports Centre.
