Alex Turner fired three goals and added three assists as the Langley Thunder iced the Brampton Excelsiors 11-3 in Game 1 of the Mann Cup senior men’s national lacrosse championships Wednesday night in Langley.
After giving up three goals on 10 shots in the first period, Vernon’s Brodie MacDonald settled down in net, keeping Brampton off the scoreboard the rest of the way. He finished with 28 saves.
MacDonald, a former keeper with the Vernon Re/Max Tigers, collected playoff MVP honours as Langley upset the New Westminster Salmonbellies in the Western Lacrosse Association championship.
Langley’s Athan Iannucci (2+2) and Andrew Potter (1+2) chipped in on offence.
Jarrett Davis led the Excelsiors with a goal and assist.
Game 2 of the best-of-seven series went Thursday night, with Games 3 and 4 slated for Saturday and Sunday, respectively. All games are at the Langley Events Centre.
Meanwhile, Vernon’s Ryan Sarazin helped Team B.C. claim its first-ever Under 16 Alumni Cup field lacrosse national championship last weekend in Burnaby.
B.C. upset six-time national champion Ontario 11-10 in the gold-medal game Sunday at Burnaby Lake Sports Complex-West.
The two teams were deadlocked at halftime. The win avenged a 10-8 loss to Ontario in preliminary play Saturday.
B.C. grounded Manitoba, Alberta and Saskatchewan in earlier round-robin play.
In Under 19 national championship action, Team B.C., featuring Coldstream products Bayne Bosquet and Ryan Landels, were runners-up for the First Nations Trophy in Burnaby.
The B.C. boys bowed 13-12 to Ontario in the final, the second straight year they have lost to Ontario by a single goal. It was Ontario’s third straight First Nations Trophy.
