The Laker eliminated both Cambridge and Hamilton on the Weekend!!!
Extra Extra LAKERS WIN!
Saturday : The Lakers looking to advance to the Alliance Playoff Finals need to beat division rival Cambridge on home ice in St Mary's. The Minor Atom received a motivational from Al Pacino and an encouraging text message from former Lakers and current Windsor Spitfire forward Ty Bilcke to set the tone for the game. As the Lakers started the game with the intent to dominate and control the puck right from the 1st 3 face-offs ( thanks to our timekeepers for giving Pryce 3 chances to send that 1st message that the Lakers were here to win even the opening face-offs)
The D corp. of Aarts, McNaughton, Gaylor, Coultes, Schooley and Dunn played a tremendous game that should have been saved on video as a teaching tool on how to control the play and control the opponents! The Lakers did not surrender 1 shot in the 1st period and limited Cambridge all game.
The offence spark was fun midway through the 1st where Pryce fed Hotson to get the Lakers on the board. 2.5 mins later Crowley blasted a shot through the tender on a set up from Weber and Aarts.
As the Lakers headed to the 3rd up 2-1, a bad bounce in the neutral zone resulted in Cambridge tying the game but the Lakers answered right back as Hotson returned the favour to Pryce to restore the lead. Less than 1 min later Hotson scored his 2nd of the night on a feed from Hoggarth. McCann finished off the scoring set up from Schooley to capture the 5-2 victory.
Sunday : Saw the Lakers have a couple players return to the lineup after illness and another leave the lineup, but the Lakers needed a win or tie to move on to the Finals. Hosting Hamilton in Stratford for the deciding game in front of a very full Allman arena, the Lakers started the scoring late in the 1st with Schooley going shelf from Pryce and :54 sec later Leis whistled 1 glove side from McNaughton and Coultes.
Crowley added his 2nd in as any games early in the 2nd period from Schooley and Pryce and the Lakers scored again to begin the 3rd as Aarts hammered a shot with an incredible thud that was started on a pass from Hotson to Gaylor who slid a beauty for Aarts to fire home. With a 4-0 lead the Lakers knew that this pesky Hamilton never quits and always seem to produce a strong 3rd period, and the Lakers turned to Newson to close out the victory as he turned aside 9 of 11 shots in the 3rd to send the Lakers to the Alliance Playoff Finals.
Atta Boys, great time of year to be playing hockey.