The Major Atom Lakers won 2 games last weekend; a close 4-3 victory in Sarnia over the Lambton Sting on Saturday as well as a convincing 12-1 win over Chatham Cyclones in Goderich on Sunday. This prepares them well for the upcoming weekend games against Kitchener during Laker day in Goderich as well as Waterloo in Waterloo on Sunday.
In Sarnia on Saturday, the Laker line of Carter McLlwain, Braeden Burdett and Sam Dupuis were responsible for the first 3 goals, giving the Lakers a 3-1 lead heading into the third. McLlwain had 2 goals and Dupuis had the other. In the 3rd period, the Lakers were lulled into a semi-sleep and stopped skating, giving up a short handed goal and finally the equalizer with only 5 minutes left the game. There was some life left in the Lakers tank with 3 minutes left, as Joshua Zelek stopped a Sting breakout along the boards, brought the puck to the net and dished it to the wide open Tanner Reid who buried it into the empty net, saving the win. Bobby McLachlan was called upon to make some important saves in the third period while the Lakers almost dreamed the game away. Jake Weston was awarded the hard hat as the hardest working Laker of the game.
In Goderich on Sunday, the Burdett, McLlwain and Dupuis line clicked yet again, this time for 9 goals, with McLlwain netting 5 while Burdett and Dupuis each popping in a couple. Other goal scorers included Kyle Stanbury with a pair and Ethan Roche with a single. The game was retribution for losing to Chatham 6-4 in Chatham a couple of weekends ago. The game was not close at all, ending 12-1 for the Lakers. The shots on goal were very one sided as well, 38-9 for the Lakers. The Lakers played an excellent 2 way game, never stopped skating the entire game. Owen Hahn made some key saves early in the game to set the tone for the one-sided affair. Sam Dupuis was the hard hat recipient.
A lesson to take home from the weekend is that good things happen to hard working skating teams, especially if they play all 3 periods that way. Good luck this weekend Lakers. Go Lakers go!!