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10th place is where the 5-foot-9 forward Josh Sanderson now sits on the all-time Mann Cup scoring chart. With eight points in his last two games, Josh topped the century mark with 101 points through 23 Mann Cup games.

One more point and Sanderson will tie Paul Gait for ninth place in the record books. The Brampton Excelsiors’ forward could even climb as high as third place before this series is done; The Top 5 all-time Mann Cup scorers and more on New West’s top young guns after the jump.

Mann Cup’s Top 5 all-time scorers

1. John Tavares (82g, 174points, 42gp)
2. Geordie Dean (67g, 161points, 53gp)
3. Gary Gait (69g, 120points, 28gp)
4. Bill Wilson (83g, 115points, 33gp)
5. John Grant Jr. (47g, 112points, 23gp)

Obviously, the five aforementioned players are some of lacrosse’s greatest all-time players.

Tavares also owns the professional National Lacrosse League (NLL) scoring record and is still active with the NLL Buffalo Bandits and Major Series League (MSL) St. Regis Indians.

In fact, the Excelsiors had to defeat both Tavares’ St. Regis team and then Grant Jr.’s Peterborough team in order to get to the ‘09 Mann Cup final.

“Guys are willing to do what ever it takes. This is our Stanley Cup,” said Brampton coach Troy Cordingley, offering additional perspective on the grueling road to the Mann Cup. “This is probably the hardest one (to win)… seven game series. Just to even get here is difficult enough.”

Also cracking the Top 40 in all-time Mann Cup scoring are Brampton stars Colin Doyle and Dan Dawson. Doyle has 86 points in 24 Mann Cup games in a tie for 21st, while Dawson is tied for 40th all-time with 63 points in 23gp.

The Top 50 list does not contain any current New Westminster Salmonbellies’ players but that could change very quickly, as fans are potentially witnessing the game’s next greats early in their careers.

Compared to Sanderson, 32 years of age, and Doyle, also 32 as of tomorrow, New West’s top three scorers of Ilija Gajic, 24, Cliff Smith, 24, and Jordan McBride, 22, are true youngsters.

Fellow forwards Jordan Hall, 25, and Jamie Floris, 25, aren’t elders either.

Enjoying their first taste of Mann Cup action last year, that young ‘Bellies O struggled to find offense against Brampton ‘tender Anthony Cosmo who posted a ridiculous 88% save percentage.

This year, however, New West’s 22 goals-for in two games already betters their output from all of last year’s Mann Cup series and the youngsters are looking sharp with Ilija scoring on over 30% of his shots.

Gajic and Smith are set to be drafted to the pro ranks in Wednesday’s NLL Entry Draft, while McBride is headed back to school at NCAA Stony Brook.

Hall is one of 10 (2009) NLL All-Stars playing in this ‘09 Mann Cup national championship series that resumes with Game 3 tonight, Monday Sept. 7, in Queen’s Park Arena at 7:45pm PST.

An All-America at Simon Fraser and a decorated Jr. A player for Coquitlam, Kojima began covering lacrosse in 2003 and started working for Inside Lacrosse in 2007. Email him at steve.kojima@nllinsider.com or go to www.laxfuj.com.

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