Shawn Slaght, All Lacrosse All The Time – A Division of the Edge of Philly Sports Network
The Nanaimo Timbermen won their third straight 12-6 to double up the Maple Ridge Burrards on Sunday night in WLA action at Frank Crane Arena.
The Timbermen round out their regular season in sole possession of first place at 12-6. The Victoria Shamrocks and Coquitlam Adanacs sit in second with 10 wins each. However, Victoria has four games in hand with games against the Burnaby Lakers, the Burrards and two against Langley Thunder. The Adanacs have three games in hand as they face the Burrards, Langley Thunder, and New Westminster Salmonbellies to wrap up the season.
Regardless of the scenario, all three teams will be making the playoffs.
Claxton with a first-period shutout
Nanaimo got off to a quick start as potted three goals from three different goal scorers. Meanwhile, goaltender Charles Claxton stopped all 12 shots he faced in the frame to leave Maple Ridge with a goose egg on the scoreboard.
Jon Phillips started it off by finding the back of the net at 7:01. On the man advantage, Teioshontateh McComber scored his first of three at 10:56.
Jerome Thompson rounded out the scoring when he potted one at 13:51. Nanaimo held a 3-0 lead after one.
Burrards close the gap, slightly
The Timbermen continued to dominate in the second period. They scored three times in the first 5:21 of the period to go up 6-0.
McComber scored at 2:56 to get the second period underway. Colton Lidstone added to the tally at 4:41, while McComber scored 40 seconds later to round out the six-goal run.
Maple Ridge finally got on the board 9:22 into the second period to stop some of Nanaimo’s momentum. It was Dylan Mcintosh finding the back of the net for the Burrards on a solo effort to make it 6-1.
Will Clayton rounded out the scoring at 13:23 to make the score 6-2 in favour of the Timbermen heading into the final frame.
Six-goal third period leads the Timbermen to victory
Nanaimo extended their lead early in the third period. Lidstone added a marker 45 seconds into the third, followed by Evan Messenger scoring at 3:42.
Mcintosh scored his second of three 50 seconds later to make it 8-3 for Nanaimo. Jerret Smith would get in on the action at 8:21 to extend Nanaimo’s lead to 9-3.
Maple Ridge replied right back with Mcintosh finding the back of the net again at 9:24 but Jon Phillips would take advantage of a man-advantage at 12:23 to restore the Timbermen’s six-goal cushion.
The Burrards would find some momentum late in the game as Gabe Procyk scored at 15:27 on the power play, but at this point, the Timbermen were on route to double up the Burrards. Clayton would add another at 16:27 for a two-goal run. However, 13 seconds later Jordan Cunningham found the back of the net to make it 11-6 for Nanaimo.
Then tempers began to boil. Maple Ridge’s Nash Moog took an unnecessary roughness call at 17:04 and that didn’t sit well with the Timbermen. Lidstone and Moog dropped the gloves and threw haymakers as both were sent off the floor for fighting.
Nanaimo rounded out the scoring with Thompson finding the net with 1:51 left as Nanaimo would double up Maple Ridge 12-6.
Three Stars
- Teioshontateh McComber, Nanaimo Timbermen
- Colton Lidstone, Nanaimo Timbermen
- Jon Phillips, Nanaimo Timbermen
Top Scorers
Nanaimo Timbermen
Colton Lidstone, 2g 6a
Jon Phillips, 2g 5a
Teioshontateh McComber, 3g 2a
Maple Ridge Burrards
Dylan Mcintosh, 3g
Will Clayton, 2g 1a
Dennon Armstrong, 2a
Don’t forget to check us out every Sunday night at 9 pm (ET)
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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