The Port Coquitlam Saints came within a second of ending their six-game losing streak Tuesday at New Westminster’s Queens Park Arena.
Instead, Salmonbellies’ runner Erik Maas extended it to a seventh game when he scored with just a single tick left on the game clock to give the home team a an 8-7 win over the visitors from PoCo in their BC Junior A Lacrosse League game.
The Saints’ loss was also their second in as many nights and they’ll face an ever taller order to get back in the win column tonight when they play the league-leading Coquitlam Adanacs at the Poirier Sport and Leisure Complex.
Tuesday’s game was a defensive struggle through the first two periods, as the teams went into the final frame tied 2-2.
After Will Malcom put New West in front for the first time in the game, less than three minutes into the third period, Clark Walter scored two goals 1:19 apart to regain the lead for the Saints.
Salmonbellies’ Cam Carlin tied 4-4, but 51 seconds later Poco was back in front again on a goal by Kyle Worsley.
But again their lead was short-lived, as goals by Malcom and Garlin gave the hosts a 6-5 lead, then another by Maas extended it to 7-5.
The Saints didn’t fold, though; less than two minutes later the game was tied again after goals by Clark Walter and Jacob Dunbar.
But that proved to be PoCo’s last gasp as Maas’ third goal of the game smothered their hopes for a win.
Walter finished the game with four goals to lead the Saints’ offence, while Carson Rees and Aiden Murphy each had three assists. Newly-acquire runner Gabe Procyk, who came in a deal with the Coquitlam Adanacs earlier in the day for the playing rights to Ryan MacBeth as well as future considerations, had an assist.
Kyle Mooney, a call-up from Junior B, stopped 41 shots in Port Coquitlam’s net.
