The 2007 World Jr A Challenge began yesterday with two games. In the first game, Canada East defeated Belarus 4-1 while the second game saw Russia defeat Germany 6-2. This tournament has two other teams beyond the four mentioned above, one from the United States and a team from Canada West.
The teams are broken into two groups that will play a one-game round robin to determine the playoff seedings. Group A consists of Canada West, Germany and Russia while Group B consists of Belarus, Canada East and the United States. The top team in each grouping will get a bye into a semi-final game with their opponents being determined by a crossover (the 2nd best team in group A will play the last place team in group B, etc). The gold medal game will be played on Sunday Novemebr 11 at 7:30 PM PST and will be broadcast on TSN. The Bronze medal game will be played earlier in the day Sunday (2:00PM PST) but it will not be televised.
For up to date coverage please visit the World Jr A Challenge website.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Tying Up Lose Ends
The Boston Red Sox have called themselves World Series Champions, for a second time in four years, since Friday October 26 when they beat the Colorado Rockies 4-3 in game four. Despite my earlier convictions that the MLB is fixed, I highly doubt that was the case for the final round. I don't think people who get paid more in one year than the American President gets in a lifetime would agree to get embarrassed like the Rockies did in this years World Series. Unfortunately, Colorado lacked the necessary experience, or became too complacent on their eight days rest, to beat such a cohesive unit that had got hot at the right time.
Canada Settles for Silver: The 2007 World Ringette Championship ended yesterday (November 3, 2007) when Finland defeated Canada 5-4 at the Ottawa Civic Centre Arena. The tournament featured one team from four countries: Sweden, Finland, Canada & the United States of America. Canda and Finland dominated the four day competition as they each shutout the team for the US and only allowed two goals versus Sweden. Finland outscored their competition 88-7 while Canada outscored their competition 55-12 (not including the Gold medal game). In the Gold medal game, Canada looked to avenge their 10-5 loss to Finland in the round robin by jumping out to a 3-1 first period lead. Finland quickly tied the game in the second but Canada managed to score one to take a 4-3 lead into the third period. Finland tied the game with just over a minute to go in the game and eventually won the game at 11:06 of the first overtime period.
An Elite Club: Peter DeBoer became the fifth coach in Ontario Hockey League history to win 500 games in the league. On Friday November 2, 2007, the Kitchener Rangers came from behind to beat the Erie Otters 4-3 at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium to earn their coach a spot in history. I think the only thing that will be nicer for Peter this year, is if he can lead the Rangers to a Memorial Cup victory on home ice in May. For more details and reactions on Peter's accomplishment visit the OHL website. The other members of the 500 win club are Brian Kilrea, Bert Templeton, Larry Mavety and Dick Todd.
It's On Again!: The NLL season is back on. A seven year agreement was reached late last month and a new schedule has been devised. The season now begins in Colorado on December 29, 2007. There were two casualties of this mess, the Arizona Sting and the expansion Boston Blazers will sit out the 2008 season and will hopefully return for 2009.
Canada Settles for Silver: The 2007 World Ringette Championship ended yesterday (November 3, 2007) when Finland defeated Canada 5-4 at the Ottawa Civic Centre Arena. The tournament featured one team from four countries: Sweden, Finland, Canada & the United States of America. Canda and Finland dominated the four day competition as they each shutout the team for the US and only allowed two goals versus Sweden. Finland outscored their competition 88-7 while Canada outscored their competition 55-12 (not including the Gold medal game). In the Gold medal game, Canada looked to avenge their 10-5 loss to Finland in the round robin by jumping out to a 3-1 first period lead. Finland quickly tied the game in the second but Canada managed to score one to take a 4-3 lead into the third period. Finland tied the game with just over a minute to go in the game and eventually won the game at 11:06 of the first overtime period.
An Elite Club: Peter DeBoer became the fifth coach in Ontario Hockey League history to win 500 games in the league. On Friday November 2, 2007, the Kitchener Rangers came from behind to beat the Erie Otters 4-3 at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium to earn their coach a spot in history. I think the only thing that will be nicer for Peter this year, is if he can lead the Rangers to a Memorial Cup victory on home ice in May. For more details and reactions on Peter's accomplishment visit the OHL website. The other members of the 500 win club are Brian Kilrea, Bert Templeton, Larry Mavety and Dick Todd.
It's On Again!: The NLL season is back on. A seven year agreement was reached late last month and a new schedule has been devised. The season now begins in Colorado on December 29, 2007. There were two casualties of this mess, the Arizona Sting and the expansion Boston Blazers will sit out the 2008 season and will hopefully return for 2009.
Monday, October 22, 2007
The MLB Playoffs are Fixed!
Before I continue on with this post, I would like to stress that this is just a fun post and should not be taken seriously at all. Not many people take me serious as it is so this post is not one to start. I have no factual information and this post is not based on any real events, other than the final outcome of the series. So while you read this I hope I make you laugh some and maybe cry if you are a tribe fan.
After seeing the score of game 7 of the American League Championship Series, I just couldn't believe it. How could a team who jumped out to a 3-1 series lead end up losing the series? I guess the leading team could have been lucky but I highly doubt that. After losing game 1, the Cleveland Indians won the next three games, outscoring the Red Sox 24-11 in those games, and looked to be in total control of the series. But then, once everyone realized that interest in a Soxless World Series would not be that high, especially since a relatively unknown Colorado Rockies team is the opponent, Cleveland somehow forgot to score runs.
I personally would have enjoyed seeing the tribe take on the Rox (as the lazy people refer to the Rockies) for the simple reason that the Red Sox would not be involved. Unfortunately, there are too many Red Sox "fans" that would not watch the finale if their team was out so something had to be done. Now I don't know who got to the tribe, whether it was Fox or MLB themselves, but someone must have paid the tribe to lose. And did they ever lose, worse than the producers of Major League could even imagine. The same team that put together 24 runs in the three previous games could only manage 5 runs in the next three games, games that really mattered.
The Red Sox "fans" are saying that the Sox are really that good but we all know according to an article on Sportsnet earlier this year (I really wish I could quote the article) the Red Sox are really not that good of a team and surely, they won't be around come playoff time. Yeah, that is from the organization that owns the Blue Jays. Their concept and understanding of baseball is unprecedented. I really wonder why they haven't won any other penants lately. Hmm!
Back to the topic. Given the teams remaining, more money will be made if the Red Sox compete in the World Series than the Indians. I first thought that Fox was behind the ALCS fix but after some further thought, it is just as likely that the MLB perpetrated the fix. With the steriod issue still fairly hot the league cannot afford less than a packed house for the final series not only in the stands but in living rooms across America, oh yeah, and Canada and pockets of Europe. If only the Cubs didn't choke, MLB would have been in heaven. But alas, that dream may never come to pass so the league needs to make the best of what they're left with.
Now that I wasted my time writing this rambling mess of words and sentences, I shall stop. Before I leave I once again would like to note that nothing I have said here is based on facts. It is purely for amusement (or punishment) purposes only. The 7-1 loss in game 5 could very well have taken all steam out of the tribe, or it is even possible that the Sox figured how to pitch around the Indians batters. Anything is possible in the wide world of sports. All I have to say is it is a good thing there is a mute button on tv's because all we will hear is how Boston is so good or how they overcame almost insurmountable odds, not once but twice. And don't forget all the useless facts Fox has stored away about the only team worthy of mention, ready to assault us while inducing seizures with their rapid flash photography.
Just think, before the league decided teams need to play their divisional opponents a billion times each season, I had no qualms about the Red Sox and in fact, I likely would have been cheering for them back in 2004, or whatever year it was, when they finally won a world series. Now, I am so sick of seeing the Red Sox that my indifference has turned to hate. GO ROCKIES!!!
After seeing the score of game 7 of the American League Championship Series, I just couldn't believe it. How could a team who jumped out to a 3-1 series lead end up losing the series? I guess the leading team could have been lucky but I highly doubt that. After losing game 1, the Cleveland Indians won the next three games, outscoring the Red Sox 24-11 in those games, and looked to be in total control of the series. But then, once everyone realized that interest in a Soxless World Series would not be that high, especially since a relatively unknown Colorado Rockies team is the opponent, Cleveland somehow forgot to score runs.
I personally would have enjoyed seeing the tribe take on the Rox (as the lazy people refer to the Rockies) for the simple reason that the Red Sox would not be involved. Unfortunately, there are too many Red Sox "fans" that would not watch the finale if their team was out so something had to be done. Now I don't know who got to the tribe, whether it was Fox or MLB themselves, but someone must have paid the tribe to lose. And did they ever lose, worse than the producers of Major League could even imagine. The same team that put together 24 runs in the three previous games could only manage 5 runs in the next three games, games that really mattered.
The Red Sox "fans" are saying that the Sox are really that good but we all know according to an article on Sportsnet earlier this year (I really wish I could quote the article) the Red Sox are really not that good of a team and surely, they won't be around come playoff time. Yeah, that is from the organization that owns the Blue Jays. Their concept and understanding of baseball is unprecedented. I really wonder why they haven't won any other penants lately. Hmm!
Back to the topic. Given the teams remaining, more money will be made if the Red Sox compete in the World Series than the Indians. I first thought that Fox was behind the ALCS fix but after some further thought, it is just as likely that the MLB perpetrated the fix. With the steriod issue still fairly hot the league cannot afford less than a packed house for the final series not only in the stands but in living rooms across America, oh yeah, and Canada and pockets of Europe. If only the Cubs didn't choke, MLB would have been in heaven. But alas, that dream may never come to pass so the league needs to make the best of what they're left with.
Now that I wasted my time writing this rambling mess of words and sentences, I shall stop. Before I leave I once again would like to note that nothing I have said here is based on facts. It is purely for amusement (or punishment) purposes only. The 7-1 loss in game 5 could very well have taken all steam out of the tribe, or it is even possible that the Sox figured how to pitch around the Indians batters. Anything is possible in the wide world of sports. All I have to say is it is a good thing there is a mute button on tv's because all we will hear is how Boston is so good or how they overcame almost insurmountable odds, not once but twice. And don't forget all the useless facts Fox has stored away about the only team worthy of mention, ready to assault us while inducing seizures with their rapid flash photography.
Just think, before the league decided teams need to play their divisional opponents a billion times each season, I had no qualms about the Red Sox and in fact, I likely would have been cheering for them back in 2004, or whatever year it was, when they finally won a world series. Now, I am so sick of seeing the Red Sox that my indifference has turned to hate. GO ROCKIES!!!
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Another Disappointment
The National Lacrosse League wants to be the National Hockey League so bad that they decided to cancel a season too. Due to contract negotiations breaking off without a deal in place by the deadline of 12:00 AM Tuesday October 16, 2007, the 2008 National Lacrosse Season has been shelved. This latest disaster proves that there are no athletes that care about anything, or anyone, but themselves, even the supposed blue collar athletes of the NLL.
For the past three seasons I was a season ticket holder: first for the Toronto Rock (2 years) and last year with the Buffalo Bandits. How empty the winter is going to feel without the chants of Let’s Go Bandits! every other weekend, or seeing the flashy orange shoes of Mark (Who’s House?) Steenhuis, or seeing the impact Phil Sanderson will have on the Bandits defence for an entire season. John Tavares, uncle of the young Oshawa General of the same name, will have to wait one more year to break the all-time record for goals scored in the NLL to complete the scoring record hat trick (he already has the record for most points and most assists). Will his body, which seems to defy the laws of aging, be up for more punishment? Will he even want to return to the league? Ryan Benesch, coming off a Rookie of the Year performance in 2007, will have to hope he can retain the knowledge and experience of his lone season in the NLL to come back (hopefully in 2009) and improve on his impressive rookie season.
I thought the NLL and all the other professional sports leagues would have learned from the NHL’s example that losing a season has longer lasting effects. But I guess since the best tv deal they could get was with Versus, who stopped showing the games live after the second week (or thereabouts anyhow), they didn’t really worry too much about that. Not knowing the full proposals it is hard to lay blame on one side or the other but it did not seem like either side tried too hard to get things done.
Whatever the reason for the missing season, the fans are the real losers in the end. The wait for next season will be a long one that may turn some of the already small pool of fans off the league. Hopefully the league and players can find the light soon, get back to playing in 2009 and ensure this does not happen again.
We as fans need to make it clear that we will not put up with so much as another game being cancelled due to labour disputes in any sport. It is us fans who have the power. We decide what we watch on tv (at least to an extent) and we decide what we want to spend our money on. It is time we use some of this power to change the professional sports industry’s attitudes about the way they do business. Let’s see how the athletes deal with playing in an empty venue or how the owners deal with no game day revenues. When the league resumes play, I will not be spending my hard earned money on season tickets and until the league resumes, I will not be promoting the league by wearing any team or league merchandise. The thought of writing a letter to the league has crossed my mind but due to my past history of inaction (see my Letter to GO…the letter still hasn’t been sent to anyone yet), I doubt I will ever get to it this time either. I hope someone out there will take the extra step and voice their displeasure at both the league and the PLPA for allowing a season to be cancelled and I recommend any who reads this and agrees with me, to take a similar stand, whether they communicate this to the league office or not.
For the past three seasons I was a season ticket holder: first for the Toronto Rock (2 years) and last year with the Buffalo Bandits. How empty the winter is going to feel without the chants of Let’s Go Bandits! every other weekend, or seeing the flashy orange shoes of Mark (Who’s House?) Steenhuis, or seeing the impact Phil Sanderson will have on the Bandits defence for an entire season. John Tavares, uncle of the young Oshawa General of the same name, will have to wait one more year to break the all-time record for goals scored in the NLL to complete the scoring record hat trick (he already has the record for most points and most assists). Will his body, which seems to defy the laws of aging, be up for more punishment? Will he even want to return to the league? Ryan Benesch, coming off a Rookie of the Year performance in 2007, will have to hope he can retain the knowledge and experience of his lone season in the NLL to come back (hopefully in 2009) and improve on his impressive rookie season.
I thought the NLL and all the other professional sports leagues would have learned from the NHL’s example that losing a season has longer lasting effects. But I guess since the best tv deal they could get was with Versus, who stopped showing the games live after the second week (or thereabouts anyhow), they didn’t really worry too much about that. Not knowing the full proposals it is hard to lay blame on one side or the other but it did not seem like either side tried too hard to get things done.
Whatever the reason for the missing season, the fans are the real losers in the end. The wait for next season will be a long one that may turn some of the already small pool of fans off the league. Hopefully the league and players can find the light soon, get back to playing in 2009 and ensure this does not happen again.
We as fans need to make it clear that we will not put up with so much as another game being cancelled due to labour disputes in any sport. It is us fans who have the power. We decide what we watch on tv (at least to an extent) and we decide what we want to spend our money on. It is time we use some of this power to change the professional sports industry’s attitudes about the way they do business. Let’s see how the athletes deal with playing in an empty venue or how the owners deal with no game day revenues. When the league resumes play, I will not be spending my hard earned money on season tickets and until the league resumes, I will not be promoting the league by wearing any team or league merchandise. The thought of writing a letter to the league has crossed my mind but due to my past history of inaction (see my Letter to GO…the letter still hasn’t been sent to anyone yet), I doubt I will ever get to it this time either. I hope someone out there will take the extra step and voice their displeasure at both the league and the PLPA for allowing a season to be cancelled and I recommend any who reads this and agrees with me, to take a similar stand, whether they communicate this to the league office or not.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Ross Cup & Victory Cup
Last Sunday, October 7, the Senior Men's Field Lacrosse season came to an end with the awarding of the Ross Cup and the Victory Cup. I really wish I knew more about this league and since there is a team (or at least was a team) in Oshawa, I may try to find out more next year. For now, I would like to congratulate the division 1 Tri-City Men's Field Lacrosse (B.C.) for winning their fourth Ross Cup in five years and the division 2 Ladner Pioneers (B.C.) for winning what appears to be their first Victory Cup.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Mann Cup Champions
The Peterborough Lakers best Coquitlam Adanacs 12-8 in games six to win the Mann Cup. This win is the second title in a row for Peterborough. Congratulations Peterborough!
This win is the last of the major indoor lacrosse championships to be played this year. But the National Lacrosse League is not too far off anymore. The 2007/2008 NLL season will begin on December 27. The rest of the schedule will be released today on NLL.com.
This win is the last of the major indoor lacrosse championships to be played this year. But the National Lacrosse League is not too far off anymore. The 2007/2008 NLL season will begin on December 27. The rest of the schedule will be released today on NLL.com.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Mann Cup Update
The Peterborough Lakers were slow out of the gates at the Mann Cup but have since taken a commanding 3-1 series lead. The Lakers now look to clinch their second straight Mann Cup title and third in four years tonight in Coquitlam. The Coquitlam Adanacs will look to rebound tonight and force two more games on their way to their first title since 2001.
In the series opener, Coquitlam got out to an early 2-0 lead on two shorthanded goals and ran the score to 4-1 before Peterborough woke up. Peterborough never led in the game and Coquitlam won 14-11. The second game opened with a Peterborough goal 14 seconds into the first period but then Coquitlam took control of the period, scoring three straight goals. Peterborough managed to tie the game by the end of the first and turned it on in the second period outscoring Coquitlam 7-4. At the end of the game, Peterborough were 13-9 winners.
The Adanacs came out firing in the third game, scoring three straight goals to open the game but Peterborough rebounded with three in a row of their own and the game was tied after forty minutes. Peterborough outscored the Adanacs in the last period and earned a 7-6 win. With a 2-1 series lead, Peterborough began to smell victory and jumped out to an early two goal lead in game four. Coquitlam responded but found themselves trailing 4-3 after one period. The lead was increased to 9-6 after two periods and the game ended with a 12-8 score in favour of Peterborough.
The Lakers John Grant Jr leads all scoring with 22 points, followed closely by teammate Scott Evans with 21 points. With 10 goals, Scott Evans leads all in goals scored while John Grant Jr. leads in assists with 13. For the Adanacs, Jason Wulder is tops with 15 points on 6 goals and 9 assists while Colin Doyle is second with 5 goals and 8 assists for 13 points.
Game five goes tonight at 7:45 PM Pacific time and if necessary game six goes Friday at 7:45 PM Pacific and game seven on Saturday at the same time.
In the series opener, Coquitlam got out to an early 2-0 lead on two shorthanded goals and ran the score to 4-1 before Peterborough woke up. Peterborough never led in the game and Coquitlam won 14-11. The second game opened with a Peterborough goal 14 seconds into the first period but then Coquitlam took control of the period, scoring three straight goals. Peterborough managed to tie the game by the end of the first and turned it on in the second period outscoring Coquitlam 7-4. At the end of the game, Peterborough were 13-9 winners.
The Adanacs came out firing in the third game, scoring three straight goals to open the game but Peterborough rebounded with three in a row of their own and the game was tied after forty minutes. Peterborough outscored the Adanacs in the last period and earned a 7-6 win. With a 2-1 series lead, Peterborough began to smell victory and jumped out to an early two goal lead in game four. Coquitlam responded but found themselves trailing 4-3 after one period. The lead was increased to 9-6 after two periods and the game ended with a 12-8 score in favour of Peterborough.
The Lakers John Grant Jr leads all scoring with 22 points, followed closely by teammate Scott Evans with 21 points. With 10 goals, Scott Evans leads all in goals scored while John Grant Jr. leads in assists with 13. For the Adanacs, Jason Wulder is tops with 15 points on 6 goals and 9 assists while Colin Doyle is second with 5 goals and 8 assists for 13 points.
Game five goes tonight at 7:45 PM Pacific time and if necessary game six goes Friday at 7:45 PM Pacific and game seven on Saturday at the same time.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Super Series it Wasn't
The Canada Russia Super Series has been and gone but it was far from a super series. This years edition was commemorating the 35th anniversary of the 1972 Summit Series but was far from living up to the standards of the original contest. Canada won 7 of the 8 games fairly easily while tying the other one.
The series opened on Monday August 27 with a 4-2 Canada win. Two days later Canada shut out their Russian rivals 3-0. The series then switched venues (from Ufa, Russia to Omsk, Russia) for back to back games in which Canada was victorious in both, 6-2 & 4-2, to return to Canadian soil leading the series four games to none.
Their winning ways continued at home as Canada was dominant in Winnipeg on September 4 winning 8-1 and again the next day in Saskatoon winning that game 4-1. The only non victory came in game seven in Red Deer when Russia opened the game with a 2-0 lead. Canada fought back and ended the game knotted at four. The eighth and final game moved still further west to British Columbia on September 9. Canada remained undefeated as they beat Russia 4-1.
With the unexciting contests this year, one should wonder if there is any point continuing with these meaningless series. It is obvious Russia does not care too much about this event as they rarely send their best players so why bother continuing. Can the Canadians even be happy with winning when the competition is far from equal? The real contest comes around Christmas time with the World Juniors so if, at the end of that tournament, Canada is hoisting that trophy, us Canadians can be proud and applaud the efforts as that tournament consists of the best junior players in the world. The 2007 Canada Russia super series, in my eyes, was nothing more than a series of meaningless exhibition games against mediocre Russian players and nothing to be too proud about. All I can say is it’s good team Canada didn’t lose.
The series opened on Monday August 27 with a 4-2 Canada win. Two days later Canada shut out their Russian rivals 3-0. The series then switched venues (from Ufa, Russia to Omsk, Russia) for back to back games in which Canada was victorious in both, 6-2 & 4-2, to return to Canadian soil leading the series four games to none.
Their winning ways continued at home as Canada was dominant in Winnipeg on September 4 winning 8-1 and again the next day in Saskatoon winning that game 4-1. The only non victory came in game seven in Red Deer when Russia opened the game with a 2-0 lead. Canada fought back and ended the game knotted at four. The eighth and final game moved still further west to British Columbia on September 9. Canada remained undefeated as they beat Russia 4-1.
With the unexciting contests this year, one should wonder if there is any point continuing with these meaningless series. It is obvious Russia does not care too much about this event as they rarely send their best players so why bother continuing. Can the Canadians even be happy with winning when the competition is far from equal? The real contest comes around Christmas time with the World Juniors so if, at the end of that tournament, Canada is hoisting that trophy, us Canadians can be proud and applaud the efforts as that tournament consists of the best junior players in the world. The 2007 Canada Russia super series, in my eyes, was nothing more than a series of meaningless exhibition games against mediocre Russian players and nothing to be too proud about. All I can say is it’s good team Canada didn’t lose.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Leafs Win! Leafs Win!
It seems the Toronto Maple Leafs can win, unfortunately for some it is in baseball and not hockey. On Wednesday August 29, the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Brantford Red Sox 13-5 in game seven of the Intercounty Baseball League championship to win the title.
Brantford won the first two games of the series with identical 9-6 scores and looked like they would easily defend their 2006 title but then Toronto woke up. The Maple Leafs took the next three games (8-6, 6-5, 13-8) to put the strangle hold on the Red Sox. Game six of the series, to be played in Brantford, was postponed due to rain twice before they finally played it on August 26. A determined Brantford team came out swinging and jumped out to a 10-0 lead after 2 innings on route to a punishing 13-1 victory to force a seventh game.
The first half of game seven was kept close, with the lead swinging between teams. Brantford scored first in the top of the third before Toronto tied it in the bottom half of the same inning. Toronto then took the lead in the bottom of the fourth while a two run tally only to see it disappear in the top of the fifth when Brantford tied the game with two runs of their own. In the bottom of the fifth, Toronto took the lead for good with four runs.
Paul Spoljaric pitched 61/3 innings for Toronto to earn the win while Jeremy Walker lead the offensive charge with two two-run homeruns. Joe Colameco earned playoff MVP honours. That was the first championship for Toronto since 2002 and was Toronto’s eighth title since 1946.
Brantford won the first two games of the series with identical 9-6 scores and looked like they would easily defend their 2006 title but then Toronto woke up. The Maple Leafs took the next three games (8-6, 6-5, 13-8) to put the strangle hold on the Red Sox. Game six of the series, to be played in Brantford, was postponed due to rain twice before they finally played it on August 26. A determined Brantford team came out swinging and jumped out to a 10-0 lead after 2 innings on route to a punishing 13-1 victory to force a seventh game.
The first half of game seven was kept close, with the lead swinging between teams. Brantford scored first in the top of the third before Toronto tied it in the bottom half of the same inning. Toronto then took the lead in the bottom of the fourth while a two run tally only to see it disappear in the top of the fifth when Brantford tied the game with two runs of their own. In the bottom of the fifth, Toronto took the lead for good with four runs.
Paul Spoljaric pitched 61/3 innings for Toronto to earn the win while Jeremy Walker lead the offensive charge with two two-run homeruns. Joe Colameco earned playoff MVP honours. That was the first championship for Toronto since 2002 and was Toronto’s eighth title since 1946.
Picture originally posted on the IBL website.
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Minto Cup Champions
For some, the third time is a charm but for the Six Nations Arrows Express, their lucky number is four. It took them four straight Minto Cup appearances to win their second ever Minto Cup championship and they did it in convincing fashion by beating the Burnaby Lakers 19-8.
After losing to the two teams from British Columbia in the round robin (10-7 to New Westminster and 10-4 to Burnaby), the Arrows downed the host team 6-5 in the semi-final game Thursday night to earn a championship berth against the perfect Lakers team (in their twelfth straight tournament appearance). After losing to Peterborough in the final game last year, Six Nations was hungry for the cup as Craig Point, the eventual game most valuable player, opened the scoring at 2:48 of the first period. After Alex Gajic tied the game at 1-1 just over a minute later, Six Nations scored seven straight goals to end the first period leading 8-1. Craig Point, drafted third overall in the 2007 National Lacrosse League’s entry draft earlier in the day, scored a hat trick in the first frame while team mates Cody Jamieson and Shawn Evans each netted two.In the second period, Six Nations outscored Burnaby 4-2 to take an insurmountable 12-3 lead into the second intermission. Burnaby made a short charge in the third, scoring three goals in a row, but it was all for naught as Six Nations regrouped and scored five in a row to put the game away. After Alex Gajic scored his second goal of the period to complete the hat trick, Keegan Hill scored his first goal of the tournament on the power play to end the scoring.
By the end of the game, Shawn Evans amassed eleven points on three goals and eight assists as the leading scorer of the game. Evans’ Six Nations teammate Cody Jamieson (tournament MVP)was second in points for the game, scoring eight points on six goals and two assists while Craig Point (5G) and Dan Hill (1G, 4A) each had five points for the Arrows. For the Burnaby team, Dane Dobbie, the fourth overall pick in the 2007 NLL entry draft, had four points on two goals and two assists while Alex Gajic (3G), Jamie Lincoln (2G, 1A) and Garrett Billings (3A) each tallied three points.
With this win, Six Nations can claim junior lacrosse supremacy, at least in Canada, as the Junior ‘B’ Six Nations Rebels defeated the Coquitlam Adanacs 8-2 to win the national title and earned the right to hoist the 2007 Founder’s Cup. There is one major lacrosse championship yet to be decided this year and that is the Mann Cup. September 7 is when the Senior ‘A’ tournament will begin from the Coquitlam Sports Center in British Columbia.
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