NLL Insider

Although Friday’s first game of the Minto’s best of three series ended in a near riot, last night’s Game 2 was a classic, showcasing some stellar lacrosse played from both sides, the Brampton Excels pulling out an 11-8 win to even their series against the Orangeville Northmen, the game winner coming from defender Adam McGourty towards the end of the third period on a fast break.

The Brampton win knots things up at a game apiece, which means this old school slugfest will go to a final, winner-take-all, gold medal match, live at the Powerade Centre at 7PM EST tonight.

After the jump, check out more backlash from last night’s beauty, and put the women and children to bed (unless they were planning on going to the game), cuz tonight’s Game 3 is gonna be one helluva close-out to a season series that has these guys out for blood.  

Brampton Excelsiors 11 over Orangeville Northmen 8
Best of three series tied 1-1

BRA: Andrew Potter (2G, 3A), JJ LaForet (3A), Dane Stevens (2G, 1A), Camerson Flint (2G, 1A), Scott Tinning (1G, 2A), Michael Burke (1G, 2A), Ryan McClelland (1G, 1A), Chris Corbeil (1G), Steve Fryer (1A), Adam McGourty (1G) – Steve Fryer (47SH, 39SV)

ORA: Adam Jones (5G), Jesse Gamble (1G, 1A), Matt Eckert (1A), Cody McMahon (1A), Mat MacLeod (1A), John Quarrie (1A), Andrew Suitor (1A), Brandon Ivey (1G), Jeremy Noble (1A), Glen Bryan (1G) - Nick Rose (47SH, 36SV)

The Skinny Although McGourty was getting heavy much deserved props for his big third period clincher, it’s also no surprise that the Excels got a huge performance from the nation’s leading scorer, Andrew Potter, who finished the night with two goals and three helpers, a night before only posting a single assist in the Excels Game 1 loss. In games Potter scores at least three points against the Northmen, the Excels are undefeated this year at 4-0-1, when he’s held to two or less, Brampton is winless at 0-6. Hmmm….  ‘09 JOTY, Adam Jones, definitely did all he could last night with a slick five goal performance, which now has the Northmen’s scoring stud just four points shy of tying the single tourney record (since ‘03) for points, set by Dane Dobbie and Craig Conn with 29. Jones is averaging five points per outing so far during the national Jr. A tourney and definitely could make history on a number of levels tonight. Back to the game, which was tied on five separate occasions in the back-and-forth tug of war, another unlikely goal by Brampton pure defender Chris Corbeil that would give the Excels the lead for good. It was Corbeil’s goal shortly after a face-off in the third (after Brampton scored a game tying goal at 6:20), that swung the momentum in Brampton’s favor for good as they put things on ice the rest of the way. “That was a hard-fought battle,” Orangeville coach Matt Sawyer told the Canadian Press. “There were momentum swings and that was Jr. A lacrosse at its finest. Some of our guys got nicked up during the game. We battled but came out on the wrong. You can’t win them all but our effort was certainly there.”

GAME 3

The two OLA heavyweights square off tonight at 7PM, Potter ready to leave it all on the floor, telling the CP, “We’ve got 15 veterans who could be playing their last junior game. We’ll be playing every shift balls out.”

And both team’s ’88’s who’ll be playing their final ever Jr. A lacrosse game tonight…

Brampton Excelsiors
Andrew Potter
Scott Tinning
Dane Stevens
Ryan McClelland
Dylan Evans
Jason Jones
Kyle Rubisch
Ben McCullough
Chris Corbeil
Andrew Marcoux
Tyler Carlson

Orangeville Northmen
Mat MacLeod
John Quarrie
Sean Gillies
Jesse Gamble
Damon Edwards
Nick Rose
Jon Harnett

Check back in with NLL Insider on Monday for a Game 3 rehash and also our pick for the ‘09 playoff performer of the year.

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