The Maple Ridge Burrards had mixed results this weekend, scoring a 9-7 win over the Langley Thunder on Sunday after losing 10-7 to the Nanaimo Timbermen Friday.
The game against Langley marked the Burrards’ first win at home so far this Western Lacrosse Association season, defeating the still winless Thunder, who weren’t able to gain a lead throughout the match.
Ben McIntosh returned from his playoff stint with the NLL’s Saskatchewan Rush to score six goals across his first two games with the Burrards this year. Four of those came against the Thunder, including one shorthand early in the first period.
That first period set the tone for the rest of the game Sunday as the Burrards scored a quick goal at the top, and despite a tying goal from J.P. Kealey, the Maple Ridge team notched three more goals in quick succession in the middle of the period.
After that, Langley just couldn’t catch up, unable to get within spitting distance of the Burrards. The final two goals from Thunder defenders Adam Will and Connar Abrams in the third allowed Langley a more gracious defeat.
The Thunder were able to capitalize on the Burrards’ 27 minutes in penalties by scoring three power play goals, one in each period.
Friday’s game was a welcome change for the Burrards after their visit to Nanaimo resulted in a late-game loss against the Timbermen.
Here, too, the Burrards notched a goal at the top of the first, thanks to Tom Johnson. But Nanaimo’s Mason Pynn quickly tied it up, and Jordan Gilles brought the Timbermen up to 2-1.
Nanaimo was mostly able to hold on to their lead the rest of the way, but the Burrards came roaring back in the third with three goals before the 10-minute mark — including a third for Johnson — giving Maple Ridge the edge at 7-6.
But Nanaimo’s Jake Cullen tied it back up less than a minute later, and the Timbermen couldn’t be stopped.
The Burrards are still tied with the Burnaby Lakers for second in the league, now at 4-3. The Victoria Shamrocks are at the top of the senior men’s circuit with a record of 6-1.
• The Burrards are on the road next weekend, facing off against the Shamrocks at Victoria’s Q Centre on Friday, before meeting up again with the Timbermen at Frank Crane Arena in Nanaimo on Saturday.
