Getting to the Minto Cup was the New Westminster Salmonbellies main item on their to-do list this season.
The ’Bellies demonstrated time and again that they were near-equals to the B.C. Junior A Lacrosse League’s powerhouse juggernaut Coquitlam Adanacs – without any hyperbole.
By falling 9-6 on Monday in Coquitlam and seeing their season end in a 4-1 championship final series defeat, the result did not add up to the effort and
resolve New West displayed all season long.
It certainly was a much closer battle than the numbers show.
The Adanacs capped their victory with a second straight win on a late goal, this time breaking a 6-6 stalemate with 3:29 left in the third. Nick Jensen buried the ball behind the ’Bellies’ Erik Kratz as part of a three-goal, 40-second outburst, giving the nine-time B.C. champions a comfortable finish to a tough five-game showdown.
New West briefly held a 2-1 lead when Nick Chaykowsky deposited a shorthanded tally 5:37 into the second period. It was his second of three on the day, and league-leading 14th of the postseason.
But Coquitlam exploded for four straight goals to lead 6-2. While the ’Bellies battled back to tie it – thanks to goals from Connor Robinson, Jeremy Bosher and Chaykowsky – the Adanacs found a way to win and will now head to Ontario as B.C.’s representative, looking to defend their Minto Cup title.
It was only New West's eighth loss of the season -- with seven of those losses coming at the hands of Coquitlam.
Two days earlier, Coquitlam again delivered some timely goals to erase New West’s one-goal lead with 2:52 remaining to win 5-4 at Queen’s Park.
Logan Sundown tallied twice, while Robinson counted a goal and three assists. He led all scorers with 33 points over eight games.
Picking up the MVP award was Adanacs netminder Christian Del Bianco.
