With a 12-7 win over the Coquitlam Adanacs on Saturday night, the Burlington Blaze are the 2023 Minto Cup champions.
Burlington took the best-of-three Minto Cup final 2-0.
Burlington won on the back of a big third period. The Blaze jumped out to a 4-1 lead after the first period, but Coquitlam rebounded in the second to tie it 6-6.
The Philadelphia Wings’ Deacon Knott stood tall in the Burlington goal in the third. He stopped 17 of 18 shots as the Blaze outscored Coquitlam 6-1.
Controversy To Start The Game
It took only 25 seconds into the game and there was already controversy. Stuart Phillips opened the scoring for the Adanacs as he lept over the crease. There are some questions as to whether his foot was in the crease, but the goal counted.
The Blaze answered back with a four-goal run. Brendan Boyle picked up a loose ball and took it down the floor to tie up the game 1:04 seconds later.
Burlington took the lead when Knott sent a long pass down the floor. In a tic-tac-toe play, Josh Rosa found the back of the net at the 16:36 mark.
Zack Thompson with the quickstick at 7:34 gave Burlington a 3-1 lead. Alex Marinier scored from long distance with 33 seconds left in the frame as the Blaze led 4-1 at the first intermission.
Coquitlam Come Back To Tie It
The Adanacs opened the second period with two goals in the first minute of play. Maxwell Semple started it off 20 seconds into the second as he let a shot off through traffic in front.
One minute into the second, Ryan Favaro made it a one-goal game.
Burlington answered right back with a two-goal run of their own. It started at the 18:15 mark when Marinier scored on a jump shot. Ben Trumble’s sidearm shot at 16:02 would make it 6-3 for Burlington.
The Adanacs stayed in the game with a three-goal run to end the second period. Robert Turpin started it off at the 15:31 mark with a transition goal.
Cody Malawsky would then get a pick and drive to the net at 14:54 to get Coquitlam within one. Turpin would pick up another transition goal with 1:01 left to play to tie it up 6-6 heading into the third period.
Burlington Lifts The 2023 Minto Cup
Phillips shot around a defender 2:53 into the third period gave the Adanacs the lead but they could hold on to it.
Burlington finished off the game with a six-goal run to win the Minto Cup. Will McLeod stepped into a shot at 12:02 followed by a highlight reel goal by Chuck Rawson diving through the crease.
Brooks English made it 9-7 with a behind-the-back shot at 8:00. McLeod would then rifle one home at 6:16 to give Burlington a three-goal lead.
Marinier found the back of the net with a shot from just inside the restraining line to give Burlington a 11-7 lead with 4:24 left on the clock.
Nicholas Volkov put the final nail in the coffin with 2:06 on the clock to give Burlington the 2023 Minto Cup Championship. Knott dumped off a pass to Volkov and he did the rest, going end-to-end, beating Coquitlam goaltender Jack Kask who was trying to get back on the floor.
Top Scorers
Burlington Blaze
Alex Marinier, 3g 3a
Braedon Saris, 5a
Chuck Rawson, 1g 3a
Josh Rosa, 1g 3a
Zack Thompson, 1g 3a
Coquitlam Adanacs
Cody Malawsky, 1g 3a
Stuart Phillips, 2g 1a
David Charney, 3a
Don’t forget to check us out every Sunday night at 9pm (ET) on eopsports.com
Shawn Slaght has been a sports reporter across the Canadian prairies for over 10 years and has experience covering everything from junior hockey to World Cup skiing to all levels of lacrosse. He is the Saskatchewan correspondent for All Lacrosse All The Time.
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