Classic in Vancouver

What would you say about a lacrosse game that had 33 goals, 60 assists and points from 26 players?

We tend to call a lot of games “classic” trust me, this was certainly one.

How epic was it? Two goaltenders notched an assist while facing a combined 120 shots….Yeah, epic.

The battle wouldn’t be decided until there was just 1.7 seconds on the clock.

In The Arena League West action, the Black Fish improve to 2-6 with a 17-16 victory over the Sea Spray who drop to 5-3.

“Total rollercoaster. Both teams had their runs and both teams got to the (other’s) goalie,, I was impressed by our team’s resiliency, especially when the Sea Spray went on a 7-0 run to take a 10-6 lead.”

“Usually (when that happens, we can’t close the gap … but we hung around. I am proud of these guys. It wasn’t our strongest line-up but they battled hard and our best players played really well at the end of the game,” commented Black Fish Coach , Rod Jensen

“Good entertainment for the crowd, but when you are on the losing side of it, it is not so much fun. There were good positives in the game, but we just didn’t focus for 60 minutes and it cost us,”

“One team would get up then the other team would go on a run. We went to sleep a little too long. Full credit to (the Black Fish), they showed a lot of resilience once we got a lead on them and came back and took it to us. Nice shot at the end for the winner.”

Sea Spray Coach, Russ Heard.

Tell Me More

After the Sea Spray opened the scoring courtesy of newly acquired, James Rahe and Connor Goodwin (5a) setting up

Nick Preston (5g, 3a) at the 10:39 mark, the rallies kicked off.

To indicate what would go on, the Black Fish received markers from, Greg Lunde (2g, 5 helpers) on the advantage set up by, Chase McIntyre and Jon Phillips.

The Sea Spray fired back with a pair of goals.

Rahe set up Preston for his second at 4:58 then Rahe (5g,6a) in his debut after being traded, added the equalizer just under two minutes later.

Lunde and a pair from Evan Messenger (3g, 7 points) continued the goal party.

The deluge came in just 2:38 and, as they say, “Game On”.

Preston potted another on the advantage with Rahe setting up.

Rahe (5g, 6a) provided the tying goal just 1:56 later.

Lunde (2g, 4a) followed by Evan Messenger (3g, 4a) with a pair made it a 6-3 Black Fish lead.

The clock wound but not before Preston hit net with :21 left and again with just one second.

The wild first closed with the 6-5 Sea Spray lead.

Odd facts, Rahe put up a goal and four assist with Preston scoring four times….in fifteen minutes!!

The Game Would Change

The second quarter would be a complete Sea Splash.

A 5-0 run which pushed their onslaught to seven goals in just under sixteen minutes.

Goals came from,Rahe, Rahe once again on the advantage,

Dalton Lupul (1g), Tyler Kirkby (1g, 5 assists) and Rahe completing his second quarter hat-trick.

After two stanzas, the Sea Spray were in control. Or, so it seemed.

Lacrosse fans know that most times it’s a game of “runs”.

The Fish would regroup and do their damage to turn a 10-6 deficit into a 12-12 extravaganza

Calling and almost seeing the Splash outburst, the tables would change and, in a hurry.

Lazlo Hennimg with his first of two followed a minute thirty five later when Phillips did the work for Ethan M’Lot.(1g,3a)

Moramatsu took his his turn followed by a pair from McIntyre.

Preston Lupul (2g) ended the flurry on a short handed marker and Carter Dickson getting his only point to allow Rahe to end the eventful third at the aforementioned, 12-12.,

This has Been Fun

The festivities were just kicking off and Adam Dickson converted on the advantage with 3:24 played.

Jon Phillips (2g, 4a) answered on an advantage goal of his own that kept it tied, 13-13.

At 8:26, Messenger would push it 14-13 leaning the way of the Fish.

You have to know an answer was forth coming. Kirkby and Goodwin did the work for Adam Dickson’s second of the game and fourth point , once again on a man advantage.

Preston Lupul and McIntyre exchanged pleasantries to get it a back to a tie, 15-15.

With 2:44 remaining, it appeared Preston had the game winner for the Spray.

If you believed that, you were sadly mistaken.

Twenty nine ticks later, McIntyre took advantage of a Lunde and Messenger set up to,stop.me if you heard this, tie it up.at 16…The ninth tie of the contest.

Messenger would jump to the forefront..

After being knocked down, Messenger, kept his composure and the ball.

Dishing off to Phillips who.made no mistake for the biggest goal in the short history of the Black Fish…talk about timing..

The game winner came just one second on the game clock.

“I saw a sliver of the corner there and just wanted to get it off before the buzzer and luckily it went, I was fighting all game trying to bury it.” commented

Dis, Dat and Anudder Thing..

Matteo Tack (Splash) and David Mather (Fish) each recorded an assist.

Shots were 63-57 in favor of the Splash.

Each team employed two netminders with Tack logging 45:30 facing 45 shots and allowing 11 goals.

Lee Jackman played 13:57 allowing 6 lamp lighters for the Splash.

For the Fish, Gordy Bowden played 27:21 allowing 9 markers on 30 tries.

David Mather appeared for 31:46 stopping 31 of 46.

Power Plays had the Splash converting on 3 of 7 answered by a 3 for 8 from the Fish.

Epic in Vancouver

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