NLL Insider

With the regular season wrapping up this month, it looks like the Top 4 teams are all but set for the Western Lacrosse Association (WLA) 2008 playoffs.

New Westminster (12-1) and Coquitlam (11-3) have clinched playoff tickets. The two met in the WLA final last year, with Coquitlam sweeping the Bellies in four-straight games after New West had won all three regular season meetings.

In ‘08, New West won the first two meetings between the clubs, but Coquitlam won the last regular season meeting 7-6 in overtime.

Burnaby (7-5-1) passed Victoria for third-place in the standings last week and are in the ‘08 playoffs. They continued their strong play last week, capturing their fourth-straight victory with a 9-6 win over fifth-place Maple Ridge (4-11). The Lakers have now won seven of their last eight games and their new additions and late arrivals have clearly meshed.

The Lakers can overtake Coquitlam for second-place - giving them home-floor advantage for the first round of the WLA playoffs - if they win out their five remaining games and Coquitlam loses three their last four games, two of which are against Victoria and one with Burnaby on Friday, July 25.

The Lakers host first-place New West this Friday and travel to Nanaimo on Saturday.

Victoria (7-6) is a perennial WLA top contender but missed the playoffs last season for the first time in 19 years. They’ll play a big home-and-home this week with Coquitlam, starting in Victoria tonight and then at Coquitlam on Saturday in two games that highlight this week’s schedule.

The Shamrocks then have first-place New Westminster before finishing with island rivals Nanaimo in another home-and-home.

Nanaimo (3-10-1), with four games left, is out provided Victoria can win or tie any of their remaining five games. If the Rocks skid to a halt, however, Nanaimo could sneak in if they win out. The T-men have New West and Burnaby before meeting Victoria.

Maple Ridge (4-11) and Langley (3-11) mathematically cannot clinch playoff spots again this year.

Here is your complete WLA schedule for the week of July 16, 2008

Coquitlam at Victoria - Wed, Jul 16 7:45 pm
Maple Ridge at Langley - Wed, Jul 16 7:45 pm
Nanaimo at New Westminster - Thu, Jul 17 7:00 pm
New Westminster at Burnaby - Fri, Jul 18 7:45 pm
Victoria at Coquitlam - Sat, Jul 19 7:45 pm
Burnaby at Nanaimo - Sat, Jul 19 7:00 pm

Rate This Story:

(3 votes, average: 3.67 out of 5)

 Loading ...