NLL Insider

B.C. Junior A, Ontario Junior A, Road to the Minto Cup

Images from the Coquitlam A’s sweep of Orangeville at the 2010 Minto Cup

Mark Matthews and Coquitlam Adanacs captain Matt Beers moments after capturing the 2010 Minto Cup.

Regular Insider contributor Ward Laforme Jr. was in Coquitlam last week with camera in hand, shooting the Coquitlam Adanacs’ 2010 Minto Cup triumph, the A’s winning their first ever Minto against an Orangeville Northmen side that looked primed to make their own history as they chased three consecutive national titles. After the jump, check out some phenomenal images Laforme snapped at the Palace on Poirier during the A’s sweep of the Horn Heads in the Minto’s best-of-three final. READ MORE »

B.C. Junior A, Road to the Minto Cup

Coquitlam Adanacs post-game Minto Cup winning celebration

Above, check out the dying moments of this year’s Minto Cup and the Coquitlam Adanacs post-game celebration, sweeping the favoured Orangeville Northmen in two straight games in their best of three national final, Coquitlam backstop Dan Lewis named Insider’s Playoff Performer of the Year yesterday. Check back with Insider on Wednesday for a photo rewind with photographer Ward Laforme Jr., featuring some absolutely stunning images from this year’s Minto in BC. Video provided by disktracker.

Alberta Junior A, B.C. Junior A, Hardware, Ontario Junior A, Road to the Minto Cup

Playoff Performer of the Year: Coquitlam A’s Dan Lewis, plus All-Minto First & Second Teams

Coquitlam Adanacs goaltender Dan Lewis was one of the tournament's biggest impact players, a huge difference maker in the three wins over Orangeville. (Photo: Ward Laforme Jr.)

Insider had named Coquitlam Adanacs goaltender Dan Lewis this year’s Playoff Performer of the Year, the A’s goaltender a huge reason why Coquitlam beat the Orangeville Northmen not just once in round robin play but two straight times in the Minto’s best-of-three final, giving the Adanacs their first ever Minto Cup victory. READ MORE »

Road to the Minto Cup

Coquitlam Adanacs capture 2010 Minto Cup with 2-0 series win over Orangeville Northmen

Coquitlam captain Matt Beers is handed the Minto Cup

The host Coquitlam Adanacs captured the 2010 Minto Cup national Junior ‘A’ lacrosse championship on Saturday with a 2-0 series win over the Orangeville Northmen. The Adanacs won Game 1 by a 9-5 score, then took Game 2, 8-4.

The victory marks the first time a Western team has taken the prize since 2005, and is Coquitlam’s first ever Minto Cup title. The championship dates back to 1901.

“Words can’t describe it – not at all,” said Coquitlam captain Matt Beers, who also captured the professional National Lacrosse League (NLL) title this year with the Washington Stealth. “Every time you win anything it’s so special but to be at home it is just phenomenal.” READ MORE »

Major Series Lacrosse, Road to the Mann Cup, Road to the Minto Cup

This Weekend: Minto Cup final series, Orangeville vs. Coquitlam PPV, MSL final Peterborough vs. Brampton live online tonight & Sunday

Adam Jones and the Northmen will try and solve the Coquitlam Adanacs this weekend as they search for a third straight Minto. (Cris Anderson)

Tonight sees the two-time defending champion Orangeville Northmen and host Coquitlam Adanacs going head-to-head in Game 1 of a best-of-three series in the Minto Cup final. The game goes live at 8PM PST (11PM EST) at the Coquitlam Sports Centre, or if you can’t get down to the Palace on Poirier, check in with Insider regulars Ted Jenner and Brad Challoner has they host this year’s online PPV of the tournament. Click here for more info on this weekend’s Minto Cup PPV, Game’s 2 & 3 on Saturday and Sunday night, same place, same time, and the same lone two teams fighting for Canada’s Junior A holy grail. READ MORE »

B.C. Junior A, Ontario Junior A, Road to the Minto Cup

East vs. West in the Minto Final, plus notes from Coquitlam

Originally from the East, Curt Malawsky has had widespread success in the West, and is looking for more at ths year's Minto Cup. (Larry Palumbo)

Not since the 1995 Source Awards have we seen East – West drama like we’re witnessing at the 2010 Minto Cup. Sure historically most Minto Cup Finals come down to BC versus Ontario but there is something different in the air this year. It could be that both Coquitlam and New West have Ontario imports on their rosters. It could be that NLL Insider’s JOTY hardware went exclusively to Ontario players, including all first-team all-star selections. It could be that BC took a year off the rivalry to watch Brampton and Orangeville go at it last year. Or it could just be that BC wants to bring the Minto Cup back home for the first time since 2005. READ MORE »

Alberta Junior A, B.C. Junior A, Ontario Junior A, Road to the Minto Cup

Minto Cup: Northmen edge out Bellies in tight semi-final, Coquitlam vs. Orangeville in 2-of-3 final starting Friday, Who will win?

In a game that felt like it coulda gone either way for a majority of the three periods, the defending two-time Minto Cup champion Orangeville Northmen got a decisive power-play goal from Brandon Ivey and then another via transition off a Brad Gillies feed and Cody McMahon snipe to take an as close as it reads 6-4 win over the New Westminster Salmonbellies, the Horn Heads in the final against the host Coquitlam Adanacs in a best 2-of-3 final starting on Friday night (8PM PST).

Find out what else happened in last night’s hard fought Minto semi, New West’s Colton Clark and recent Insider Defender of the Year Andrew Suitor playing outstanding lacrosse in yesterday’s do-or-die semi-final. READ MORE »

Alberta Junior A, B.C. Junior A, Ontario Junior A, Road to the Minto Cup

Minto Cup: Adanacs stun Northmen to lock up spot in final, Bellies dominate Raiders in 3rd period, Horn Heads vs. Fish tonight

While the first couple of days of the Minto Cup were, for lack of a better word, expected, the favourites winning games, the under dogs losing, the last day of round robin action was anything but.

The Coquitlam Adanacs handed the two-time defending Minto champion Orangeville Northmen only their third loss this summer, the Horn Heads 35-2 previous to last night’s 15-12 loss to the A’s, Coquitlam getting a ticket straight to the final, Orangeville now playing tonight in the Minto’s one-and-done semi-finals where they’ll meet the New Westminster Salmonbellies, who barely let the Calgary Raiders breath in last night 10-1 win over the win-less Albertans. Check out the rest of yesterday’s tournament changing recaps after the jump. READ MORE »

Alberta Junior A, B.C. Junior A, Hardware, Ontario Junior A, Road to the Minto Cup

Insider 2010 Junior of the Year Awards, Plus All-Canadian Teams

Orangeville Northmen JOTY and Goalie of the year finalist Dillon Ward. (Photo: Ward Laforme Jr.)

Insider is proud to announce our third annual National Junior of the Year Award winners, along with our All-Canadian First and Second Teams.

Selections were made based on 2010 regular season performances, hardware handed out to this year’s top Player, Defender, Goalie, Rookie and Coach, playing or coaching in BC, Alberta or Ontario.

Last year’s winners included Adam Jones (Player), Kyle Rubisch (Defender), Nick Rose (Goalie), Robert Church (Rookie) and Bruce Codd (Coach).

After the jump, find out who took this year’s honours and who landed a spot on 2010’s All-Canuck Teams. And check back on Monday for Insider’s Playoff Performer of the Year announcement. READ MORE »

Alberta Junior A, B.C. Junior A, Ontario Junior A, Road to the Minto Cup

Day off in Coquitlam, what we know and what we don’t know through four games

Adam Jones has been impressive during this year's Minto in Coquitlam. (Photo: Ward Laforme Jr.)

It’s the first off-day of the 2010 Minto Cup, however that doesn’t stop the blood boiling in anyone who has witnessed the first four games of the Minto. A 21 degree day in Coquitlam today is just the right temp for the players to kick around the hotel pool and not have to worry about the sun. Arena staff at the Palace on Poirier are working hard to clean up after the 800 plus who watched Coquitlam beat New West last night. That was 800 plus with a WLA Finals game taking place down the road at Queens Park. The Palace is expected fill up for the finals this coming weekend. Four round robin games are now in the books, and for full game breakdowns check out Tutka’s post from earlier today. With four games down here is what we know…and more so, what we don’t know… READ MORE »