The Coquitlam Adanacs are on top of the BC Junior A Lacrosse League standings.
It doesn’t matter if they win or lose their showdown with the undefeated New Westminster Salmonbellies Tuesday night at Queen’s Park Arena.
That’s because the Adanacs won both their games on the weekend. Heading into New West they have seven wins on the season against one loss, for 14 points. The ‘Bellies have 10 points, but have played three fewer games.
The Adanacs have reeled off five straight wins since stubbing their toes against the Langley Thunder on May 11, the team’s first regular season loss in almost two years. They continued that momentum with a 13-8 win over the Delta Islanders on Saturday and a 12-6 victory over the Victoria Shamrocks at the Q Centre on Sunday.
In Victoria, the Adanacs spotted the Shamrocks a quick 1-0 advantage, then traded leads back and forth with their hosts before heading to the dressing room even at 4-4.
Ethan Ticehurst put Coquitlam in front 5-4 just less than three minutes into the second period, as he completed a set-up that was started by Adanacs’ keeper Christian Del Bianco.
Cole Pickup tied it again on a shorthanded goal after the Shamrocks were assessed an extra minor penalty for a three-player fracas that also put Coquitlam’s Tommy Scanlan in the box for a five-minute facemask major.
But 22 seconds later, while the Adanacs were still on the power play, Philip Buque scored the first of six straight goals for the visitors. Nick Murray got one of those back for the Shamrocks late in the third before Mac Dailly rounded out the scoring for Coquitlam with his third goal of the game.
Buque also scored a hat trick while Dennon Armstrong’s two goals and three assists led Coquitlam’s attack. Del Bianco also registered another assist to bring his season total to seven.
Saturday, the Adanacs also had a slow start against the Islanders.
Delta, who have only one win so far this season, scored the game’s first two goals before it was four minutes old. Angelo Pontellini halved Coquitlam’s disadvantage with a power play goal then Matthew Mcilwrick scored twice to put the Adanacs in front 3-2 at the first intermission.
Delta’s Riley Phillips tied less than two minutes after the break. But it was short-lived as Tommy Scanlan put Coquitlam back in front, 4-3, 20 seconds later.
After Ryan Jones was able to tie it again, Dennon Armstrong scored twice, and Kyle Bailiuk added another early in the third period, to put the Adanacs ahead for good.
Armstrong led Coquitlam’s attack with three goals and three assists, while Scanlan scored four times. Back-up keeper Gordie Bowden stopped 30 of the 38 shots he faced to earn the victory.
PoCo Saints win two
The Port Coquitlam Saints also had a productive long weekend, when they earned their first two wins of the season.
Sunday, the Saints scored the first four goals to roll to a 17-8 win over the visiting Nanaimo Timbermen at the PoCo Rec Centre. Connor Frost scored two goals and added seven assists to lead the Saints attack in the spirited game that devolved in the third period when two Timbermen assistant coaches, Bill Waddell and Steve Cappello were tossed from the game for separate unsportmanlike incidents. Nanaimo’s Rory Marshall and Saints’ Isaiah Stewart were also sent to the dressing rooms after a fight.
The win capped a successful pair of games at the Rec Centre for the Saints, after they beat the visiting Islanders 15-5 on Friday night.
Sam Degroot scored seven points to fuel PoCo’s attack, which led 7-1 after the first period.
the Saints will go for their third win in a row tonight (Wednesday) when they pay a return visit to the Delta Islanders at the Ladner Leisure Centre.
