A week after dropping two games to teams in the bottom half of the standings, the Delta Islanders handed the New Westminster Salmonbellies their first loss of the B.C. Junior A Lacrosse League season Saturday night at the Sungod Arena.
Delta outscored the visitors in every period, and finished the game with a 48-39 edge in shots on goal. The Islanders improved to 4-3 (won-lost) on the season, four points back of the 6-1 Salmonbellies.
Eli McLaughlin netted Delta’s first goal of the game late in the first period to tie the game 1-1. New Westminster regained the lead a half-minute later, but Chase Fraser and Jayden Campbell struck for goals 32 seconds apart for a 3-2 lead for the home side going into the first intermission.
Fraser added two more in the second period, with McLaughlin, Evan Messenger, Reece Callie, Jesse Worley and Cody Nass adding one each to stretch the Islanders advantage to 10-6.
McLaughlin with his third of the game while shorthanded, and Fraser with his fourth netted third-period goals. Both players finished the game with five points.
Ryland Hood made 33 saves in the Delta goal for the victory.
The Islanders visit the 1-6 Langley Thunder tonight (Thursday) at the Langley Events Centre, before a weekend series with the 3-1-1 Victoria Shamrocks. The two teams face-off Saturday at the Sungod Arena, and Sunday evening in the provincial capital. Both games face-off at 5 p.m.
