The plane tickets were worth the expense!
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Well it’s safe to say that the email we got during game 6 requesting Jake Elliott needing a defibrillator is going to reign true tomorrow night. With the return of Dan Dawson, Anthony Cosmo, Mike Hominuk and Sandy Chapman, the Brampton Excelsiors won their 3rd overtime game of the series to force a game 7 tomorrow night. Queens Park was sold out well before game time and there were rumors of people buying tickets for $30-$40.
Having arrived a few hours before the game, Dawson and Cosmo put in epic efforts to help keep the defending champs alive. Dawson tallied five points on the night but if was his lone goal that won the game for the Excels in overtime beating Bellies’ goalie Matt Roik over the shoulder with the goalie pulled leaving just 1.5 on the clock.
Roik put on one of the greatest goaltending performances I have ever seen. He was unconscious all night long and made big save after big save doing everything in his powers to give his team a chance to seal the deal. Making 44 saves, many of them highlight variety, #33 was clearly exhausted by the final whistle.
It was standing room only and when looking around at times, it was three and four rows deep along the upper terraces. The fans were in the game all night long, chanting ‘let’s go Bellies’ and ‘we want the cup’ sporadically throughout the night. The official attendance was 3460, and the 50/50 broke the $3000 dollar mark. But they didn’t come for the money; they came to see the hometown team bring home their 25th national title. Unfortunately for them, they will have to wait another 24 hours.
The entire game was back and forth. There was never any clear cut advantage. Even when Brampton outscored the Salmonbellies 3-0 in the third period, the largest lead of the game was only two goals. Transition goals, highlight goals, and game tying goals were all par for the course on this night. The first period ended 3-2 in favor of the home side, as Ilija Gajic scored with four minutes left in the opening frame on an outside shot that beat Cosmo low. The second period saw the visitors score three unanswered all in the second half, capped off by a fantastic effort from Hominuk. Corralling a rebound off a Dawson shot, he faked once then dove and dunked the shot back over the shoulder of Roik to give Brampton 5-3 lead with just twenty minutes remaining.
As the final stanza started, there was a eerie feeling in the arena as one side pressed to extend their season, while the other was on the verge of ending the year with the ultimate goal. New West got the ball rolling of a very fluke goal three minutes in. Peter Morgan tried to send a pass into Chris Gill and it deflected off of Brodie Merrill’s stick and found its way past Cosmo. That set off a period of traded goals for the next ten minutes. Then with just 59 seconds left and Roik on the bench, Jordan McBride was able to beat Cosmo with a heavy outside shot between the legs to send most of the 3400 fans to their feet. Neither team could score the winner in the final minute and for the third time in the series, we were headed for free lacrosse with the scored tied at seven.
A brief two minute break and then it was time for the fireworks. It took seven minutes but finally unsung play-off hero Kyle Ross kept up his inspired play for New West and scored ahip high rip to the short side of Cosmo and the Mann Cup was within New West’s grasp. But as we have learned throughout this series, it’s never over till the clock reads zero. Hominuk tied the game at eight with a cheeky short side back hand that had only a ball and a half of room between Roik and the post. Roik robbed Colin Doyle, Blaine Manning and Dawson over the next couple of minutes with spectaculars saves that most nights would have gone in. As amazing as he played, Roik just couldn’t stop them all. With possession and the shot clock turned off, Brampton pulled Cosmo, and set out the extra man unit and set up the final play. Dawson to Doyle, back to Dawson in the high slot and with a second and a half on the clock, took the air right out of Queens Park Arena.
In a series that has provided memorable moments, jaw dropping goals and awe inspiring efforts, it’s only fitting that it’s heading to a seventh and deciding game Saturday night. I’m guessing that if you don’t have a ticket by now you won’t get one as by the time I left the rink, a good half hour after the game was over, most of the 3400 fans were outside trying to get their hands on a ticket for the deciding game of the 100th Mann Cup. Of course if you are unable to get a ticket or aren’t in the area, be sure to tune into www.theboxrocks.com for complete coverage.
We will have a Mann Cup Champion tomorrow night and I’m excited to say, that I have no idea who it’s going to be.
Game MVP’s for game 6- Jordan McBride (1-2) and Colin Doyle (2-3). My MVP’s were Roik (44 saves) and Dawson (1-4).
If the sporting world isn’t keeping an eye on this series they must be in a coma because this is exactly why lacrosse is the greatest game in the world and my wildest dreams have come true getting the opportunity to call the game from high above.
Jenner is a two-time Mann Cup champion with six years of NLL experience. Email him at ted.jenner@nllinsider.com also follow the Coquitlam Jr. A Adanacs and the Intermediate A Adanacs live, as Teddy brings you color commentary with Brad Challoner for the Jr's and play by play with Brody Allen for the Intermediates -- http://www.junioradanacs.com/multimedia.phpRate This Story:
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