The Vernon Source For Sports Tigers are in the Thompson Okanagan Junior Lacrosse League penthouse. How long they remain there depends on the Kelowna Raiders and Armstrong Shamrocks.
The 11-3-1 Raiders will have a chance to regain the top seed heading into the playoffs when they host the Rocks in the final regular-season game Thursday night at Memorial Arena.
The 4-8-3 Rocks have all but sewn up third-place ahead of the Kamloops Venom (5-10-1) based on a superior goal differential.
The Cats host Game 1 of their best-of-five first-round series Tuesday (7:30 p.m.) in Vernon.
Ryan Sarazin scored Vernon’s first seven goals as they outlasted the Shamrocks 10-8 Saturday night at Kal Tire Place. A lethal shooter, Sarazin finished the season as the Cats’ top scorer with 42-15-57 in 14 games, one ahead of Jordan Orr (19-37-56), who sat out the final game.
“He was on a mission. Almost everything he threw at the net went in,” said Tigers’ co-coach Keith Hanna. “He’s quite accurate, and that, with the velocity he puts on the ball, it’s just great.”
The Tigers raced out to a 3-1 first-period lead as they capitalized on some disorganization in Armstrong’s zone.
“We had a nice strong start. We’re trying to set the tone early and play our game,” said Hanna.
“They’ve done a very good job of following our systems. That shows right from our goaltending and defensive zone coverage into our transition and onto offence.”
Armstrong stormed back in the second period on some slick pick-and-roll plays on the powerplay to take a 5-4 lead.
“That’s our motion offence – I drill that into them every practice,” said Armstrong head coach Bryan Cope. “They work and they look really nice when they work.”
Jay Seaton, Craig Bigsby and Quinton Harrish chipped in with third-period goals for Vernon. Harrish worked a sweet crisscross passing play with Brett Hanna up the floor before netting the winner.
Darryl Landels, Austin Lewarne and Liam Drabuik each recorded two assists.
Armstrong spread out its offence, with speedy Stephen Ringdal (2), Cam Nelson, Adam New, Drew Hassard, Keith Minnis and Sam Hanley all solving Aaron Jensen, who had 36 saves. Josh Point was steady in recording 42 stops.
Having spread out his players’ minutes throughout the season, Cope feels the Shamrocks have the depth to be a handful for other teams in a five-game series.
“We can beat anybody as long as we play the system we have in place,” said Cope. “From (Saturday’s) game, they know that now. You’ve got to make your opportunities count.”
Whether the Tigers finish first or second, Hanna said the important thing is for Vernon to have home-floor advantage to start the playoffs.
“We have a nice big arena where we can use our fitness and stretch other teams out.”
