The Nanaimo Timbermen will start finding out tonight how their rebuild is going.
The Coastal Windows Timbermen senior A boxla team plays its first game of the Western Lacrosse Association season tonight (May 17) on the mainland against the Burnaby Lakers.
“We’ll do OK,” said Kaleb Toth, T-men coach. “We’re going to be prepared for it, we’re going to be excited and I know the guys are looking forward to it.”
The Lakers, like the T-men, have a new coach, Rory McDade, and are expected to be one of the younger teams in the WLA this season.
“Their team last year was a quick team,” said Toth. “They’ve very athletic up front, they like to run the ball. Defensively they weren’t the biggest guys but they always made you pay.”
Last season the Lakers made the playoffs but the T-men played them tough – all three games between the teams were decided by two goals or less.
“Burnaby’s almost in the same boat as we are. They’re also a very young team with a lot of young talent,” said Zak Boychuk, Nanaimo goalie. “We’re just going to have to match their intensity. It’s going to be their home opener. We’re going to have to go into their barn and try and steal one from them.”
GAME ON … The teams play at 7 p.m. tonight at Burnaby’s Bill Copeland Sports Centre … The Timbermen play their home opener Sunday (May 19) against the New Westminster Salmonbellies at 7 p.m. at Frank Crane Arena … To read a season preview article on the T-men, please click here.
sports@nanaimobulletin.com
