NLL Insider

The Game 1 brawl kicked off a classic. Friday night, New West and Brampton square off again with the Mann Cup on the line.

The Western Lacrosse Association (WLA) champ New Westminster Salmonbellies have won the last two games to go up 3-2 in the Best-of-7 series. But they say the last game is always the toughest to win, and the Eastern Major Series League (MSL) Brampton Excelsiors aren’t done yet.

Game 6 goes Friday. Game 7, if necessary, is on Saturday. More from the coaches and players after the jump.

“It’s been a great series so far – with the overtime games and the first game, obviously. It’s going to go down as one of the better series, I think it’s far from over still,” added the Excelsiors’ Blaine Manning.

New West won Game 5 by a 10-8 score, out-shooting the visitors 52-44.

“We’ll be a different team on Friday,” said Manning. “We honestly can’t wait to play it… We’re going to have a great effort on Friday.”

Tied 3-3 after the first period of Game 5, the ‘Bellies exploded in the middle frame thanks to nine minutes of power-play time where New West scored four-straight man-up markers to close out the period up 8-4.

“I just think their power-play was better than ours and that was the difference,” offered Brampton coach Troy Cordingley. “We have to be better on our power-play and limit their opportunities.”

Brampton was 2-3 on their power-play unit after going just 1-8 in Game 4.

Blaine Manning, Shawn Williams and Kevin Ross scored two goals each for Brampton in Game 5, while Colin Doyle and Aaron Wilson provided singles.

Chris Gill led New West with three goals, while young stars Ilija Gajic and Jordan McBride each contributed two goals and five points. Curtis Manning, Peter Morgan and Junior call-up Kevin Crowley also tallied.

“It’s nice to be up 3-2 but it’s a seven game series,” added Gill. “Their guys aren’t going to lie down, there’s too much character and pride over there. I don’t think they’ve played their best lacrosse yet.”

“It is nice to be up, but we were up 1-0 (to start the series) and look what happened there (Brampton won the next two).”

Brampton, who started and were happy with the play of Pat Campbell in net for Game 5, are trying to get NLL All-Star Anthony Cosmo between the pipes for Game 6. Forward Mike Hominuck, who scored two goals in the one game he played this series, will be back from work commitments.

The defending champion Excelsiors are also expecting stud Dan Dawson back if the series can be extended to a Game 7.

“Just one more, we’re there, we can taste it,” said Gajic. “But we have to come out harder than we did today… they’re a great team. There’s going to be a lot of weight on our back.”

“If we can push through, it’s right there for the taking. We’re going to see who wants it more Game 6.”

“They’re a great team over there,” offered New West coach Bob Salt. “We have to play our best game of the year Friday night to win the Mann Cup… We have to play our ‘A’ game if we’re going to win the Mann Cup, absolutely.”

“It’s an opportunity of a life time,” added captain Gill.

Game 6 is Friday at 7:45pm PST in Queen’s Park Arena. Game 7, if necessary, goes Saturday Sept. 12.

Capacity crowds are expected.

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