New Westminster wrapped up second place in the B.C. Junior Lacrosse League with a 10-4 win over the Burnaby Lakers on Tuesday.
The junior A Salmonbellies held the Lakers off the scoreboard while at even strength until the 16-minute mark of the third period.
Frankie Scigliano made 43 saves, including 20 in the middle period, to help post New West's 14th win this season.
The undefeated Coquitlam Adanacs wrapped up top spot in the eight-team loop earlier in the season.
The second period proved a turning point for the 'Bellies, outscoring the visitors 4-1 despite the 21-14 disparity in shots and a parade of seven Salmonbellies to the penalty box.
Scigliano also scored his first career goal in the final minute of play, when he caught the Burnaby keeper out of his net while on the bench for a sixth attacker.
"We pride ourselves on working hard. It wasn't our best game today, but our special teams were very strong and Frankie (Scigliano) and our short man did a good job killing a lot of (penalties)," said defender Kyle Robinson, who tallied his first goal of the year on a shorthanded loose-ball breakaway opportunity early in the second frame.
In the middle period, Burnaby managed just one power-play goal on four successive New Westminster penalties.
New West currently leads all teams with 672 penalty minutes this season.
"We're a pretty tough group and penalties will come from that, but there are good and bad penalties, and we definitely took some bad penalties tonight," Robinson said, adding it's a shortcoming the team has to address come playoff time.
"We have to cut down on penalties and retaliations," Robinson said.
Tyler Digby, Mark Negrin and call-up Steven Ferdinandi, who got his first junior A goal in the opening minute of the second period, led the way with two markers apiece for the Salmonbellies.
New Westminster closes out the regular season at Queen's Park Arena this Saturday against the fifthplace Nanaimo Timbermen. Game time is scheduled for 5 p.m.
