NLL Insider

When we said this recent Orangeville Northmen and Brampton Excelsiors war was one of the more heated rivalries the junior loop has seen in several years, we weren’t just throwing out empty hype, and the boys lived up to that billing last night during Orangeville’s 10-9 second period comeback win, the game ending with both head coaches, Matt Sawyer and Brian Beisel, enraged with one another after an equipment check call in the final half minute of the game let off an atom bomb in the arena.

After the jump, check out last night’s game breakdown, the two teams squaring off again tonight, the Nothmen trying to shut things down for the second straight summer.

Orangeville Northmen 10 over Brampton Excelsiors 9
Orangeville leads best of three series 1-0

ORA: Mat MacLeod (4G, 3A), Adam Jones (3G, 2A), Andrew Suitor (3A), Jesse Gamble (1G, 1A), Matt Eckert (1A), Jordan Critch (1A), Cody McMahon (1A), Greg Harnett (1A), Matt McMurray (1A), Jason Noble (1A), Brandon Ivery (1G), Jeremy Noble (1A), Craig England (1G) – Nick Rose (53SH, 44SV, 12PIM) Dilon Ward (1SH, 1SV)

BRA: Dane Stevens (2G, 2A), Scott Tinning (1G, 2A), Ryan McClelland (2G, 1A), Dylan Evans (2G, 1A), Jason Jones (1G, 1A), Michael Burke (2A), Pat Saunders (2A), Steve Fryer (1A), Ben McCullough (1A), Kevin Floris (1A), Andrew Potter (1A) – Steve Fryer (54SH, 44SV)

The Skinny Well, with 33 tics left on the game clock, things got pretty hairy last night, Brampton coach Brian Beisel asking for a shin pad measurement on Orangeville keeper Nick Rose, who minutes later was tossed from the game for going over the limit, giving the Excels what would turn into a 6-on-4 on-floor advantage. The call, considered kinda breaking the unwritten code of boxla, sent both Rose and Orangeville coach Matt Sawyer into a rage, Sawyer looking to take a piece out of Beisel, and then later vice versa. Brampton got a shot off on the power-play, but backup Dilon Ward kept the ball outta Orangeville’s cage.

After heading into the second period with an impressive 4-2 lead, the Excels let the W slip through their fingers after five straight second period G’s from O’Ville, Mat MacLeod and Adam Jones with two apiece.

The game remained close, but with half a minute left, Beisel asked for the check. “It doesn’t get more gutless than that,” Rose told the Canadian Press last night. “If that’s how they think they’re going to win a national championship, they’ve got another thing coming.”

The game also continued to see a series trend NLL Insider mentioned in yesterday’s final preview, the country’s leading point getter, Andrew Potter, again isolated by the Northmen’s D, only coming away with a single assist in the L. Even rookie Michel Burke, who’s pumped in more points against Orangeville this summer than any other player in the country, couldn’t find the back of the net, but did post two helpers. “I don’t think they want it as bad as us, to tell you the truth,” Rose added in the CP. ”We’re all heart, and we’ve shown that over the last month. They’re going to have to rip this championship from our hands if they want it.”

Although rumours last night had Rose suspended for tonight’s Game 2, it’s anticipated Rose will be available for the game, with no suspension in sight. “Let him see if he can sleep after making a call like that on a 21-year-old in his last year of junior,” head coach Sawyer added. ”It’s something that’s just not done.”

FAN POLL

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Game 2

The second and potentially last game of this Minto mini-series goes live tonight at the Powerade Centre (8PM EST). If Brampton can prolong things and knot everything up at one, Game 3 is Sunday, same place, different time, with a 7PM start.

SCORING LEADER

Although earlier in the week Coquitlam’s Trevor Moore looked like he might have a chance to push for a Minto scoring record, that chase frontrunner spot now goes to recent NLL Insider JOTY winner, Adam Jones, whose 20-points after four games sees him as the 11th best single tourney scorer since the Minto changed formats in ‘03. Dane Dobbie and Craig Conn hold the single tournament record with 29 points each. Last year’s Minto was led by Victoria’s Michael Pires, who had 20-points, while Jones and former teammate Stephen Keogh both finished second with 17-points.

PLAYOFF PERFORMER OF THE YEAR

Check back to NLL Insider on Monday morning to find out who joins the rest of this year’s award winners, with our annual playoff performer of the year nod. Last year’s winner was also this year’s player of the year recipient, Adam Jones.

WINNING STREAK

Orangeville’s win last night now marks the sixth straight win they hold over the Exels’ head this summer, leading the season series 7-3-1, which includes all regular season, playoff and Minto games to date. Jones and Mat MacLeod lead all scorers in those 11 contests, Jones now with 35-points and MacLeod with 30, the two playing in 10 of the 11 games.

THE COACHES

Both Sawyer and Beisel bleed their current team’s colours, Sawyer a former Orangeville player during his entire junior career, and ditto for Beisel with the Jr. Excels (almost). Sawyer won two Minto’s during his playing days with the Horn Heads, while Beisel wouldn’t win one until he swapped sweaters in ‘96, when the Northmen won it all, picking up Besiel before the post-season started. Beisel also won a Mann Cup with the Sr. Excels in ‘02. On the coaching staff of that Mann winning team? The same guy he mighta been reminiscing with last night during their standoff… Matt Sawyer.

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