Thursday, September 25, 2008
New Look
Since the end of the box lacrosse has left a void in me I thought I'd waste some time and change the look of my site. I think it is easier to read now and well, it wasted some time while at work so it is all good. Not to mention the time wasted by writing this blurb. Enjoy the new look. I should have mroe to write once the MLB playoffs start so it shouldn't be too long before there is more to read here.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Brampton Sweeps Cup Final
Moments ago the Brampton Excelsiors were crowned the 2008 Mann Cup champions. They defeated the New Westminster Salmonbellies, the top team in the nation during the regular season and winners of the Western Lacrosse Association, by a score of 9-6 in game four to complete the four game sweep.
New West took a couple games to find their legs and came out in game three hungry for the win. Brampton was up to that challenge though and won that game convincingly to put them on the verge of a sweep. Game four began well again for the 'Bellies but by the end of the first period Brampton had tied the game at two. The second period was another close period but Brampton came out on top at the end with a 6-4 score. The third period started off strong for New West but Anthony Cosmo was able to shut the door. Blaine Manning scored a rare powerplay goal for Brampton 3:39 into the period to put the game out of reach.
Anthony Cosmo was named the Mike Kelly Memorial Trophy winner as the most valuable player in the Mann Cup finals.
I'd like to thank Marksy and Wamper for making these games available online and providing their commentary. For someone who is relatively new to the sport, it's fun to hear about the history of the game from an OLHOF inductee such as Wamper.
New West took a couple games to find their legs and came out in game three hungry for the win. Brampton was up to that challenge though and won that game convincingly to put them on the verge of a sweep. Game four began well again for the 'Bellies but by the end of the first period Brampton had tied the game at two. The second period was another close period but Brampton came out on top at the end with a 6-4 score. The third period started off strong for New West but Anthony Cosmo was able to shut the door. Blaine Manning scored a rare powerplay goal for Brampton 3:39 into the period to put the game out of reach.
Anthony Cosmo was named the Mike Kelly Memorial Trophy winner as the most valuable player in the Mann Cup finals.
I'd like to thank Marksy and Wamper for making these games available online and providing their commentary. For someone who is relatively new to the sport, it's fun to hear about the history of the game from an OLHOF inductee such as Wamper.
Change of Pace
With all the driving I did over the weekend, mostly to the Powerade Centre, I needed a rest yesterday so I decided against making the hour long trek (through the tail end of rush hour)to Brampton for Game 3 of the Mann Cup. Thanks to Marksy at Lacrosse - Inside the Game, I was still able to catch the action live online. After a strong first period by New Westminster, Brampton fought back for the win and 3-0 series lead. Hopefully, I can make it to the Powerade Centre tonight for what might be the last game.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
That Was Much Better
Just got back from game 2 of the 2008 Mann Cup and it was a much better game than the first one. New Westminster came out strong just like last night's game and scored the first goal of the game. That is where the similarities end though. New West played hard the entire first period and showed some command but they couldn't beat Cosmo more than the one time.
The second was more of the same tight checking on both sides with the exception of about three minutes where Brampton was able to get in close for three scores to go up 4-1. New West was only able to solve Cosmo once more in the second period to go into the third down 5-2. Brampton was able to fend off another late surge, where they surrended three goals, to hold onto a 6-5 win.
With that win Brampton is halfway to completing the sweep that some have forecasted. Although some from the New West side likely thought the 'Bellies might sweep the Excelsiors and I wasn't going to dismiss that thought after their dominant season. I think the real Salmonbellies team showed up tonight and they did look good. The unassisted goal by Gajic late in the third was perhaps the nicest individual effort of the game. The players of the game were Jordan Hall for New West and Dan Teat for Brampton. Game three is on Monday at 7:30 PM at the Powerade Centre in Brampton.
The second was more of the same tight checking on both sides with the exception of about three minutes where Brampton was able to get in close for three scores to go up 4-1. New West was only able to solve Cosmo once more in the second period to go into the third down 5-2. Brampton was able to fend off another late surge, where they surrended three goals, to hold onto a 6-5 win.
With that win Brampton is halfway to completing the sweep that some have forecasted. Although some from the New West side likely thought the 'Bellies might sweep the Excelsiors and I wasn't going to dismiss that thought after their dominant season. I think the real Salmonbellies team showed up tonight and they did look good. The unassisted goal by Gajic late in the third was perhaps the nicest individual effort of the game. The players of the game were Jordan Hall for New West and Dan Teat for Brampton. Game three is on Monday at 7:30 PM at the Powerade Centre in Brampton.
Brampton Takes Game 1
Game one of the Mann Cup went last night in Brampton and the home team did not disappoint. New Westminster got out to an early 1-0 lead but after almost nine minutes of solid defence and some missed chances by Bramton, the Excelsiors finally tied it up. That goal sparked their offence and they went on to score three more in the first to take a 4-1 lead into the first intermission.
In the second period, it was more Brampton as they got two more goals before New West netted their second to end the second period scoring. New West seemed to find some life in the third and tried to mount a comeback but they came up short against a tough Brampton defence backed by a solid performance by Cosmo (who had help with some lucky goal line bounces) and lost 8-5.
The first ten minutes of this game was by far the best. Action was going both ways and the defence on both ends allowed very little. Brampton had trouble getting their first goal after hitting the post a couple times but when they did they got a couple within a couple minutes and that seemed to take the steam out of the Salmonbellies and that lead to more quality chances for Brampton. Brampton seemed to totally dominate the second half of the first period. The Salmonbellies power play was ineffective as well. They seemed to be flat footed and didn't get Cosmo moving around enough. The Salmonbellies regained their composure late in the game, after the game got a bit ugly, and showed glimpses of why they were the best team in the country during the regular season.
I confirmed something last night, something that I was thinking on for a few games now: it is hard to keep really focus on a game when dealing with a two year old as well. Although my son was relatively behaved last night, I found that I struggled to really pay attention to the game so my analysis is not as in depth as I would have liked. We'll try again tonight.
In the second period, it was more Brampton as they got two more goals before New West netted their second to end the second period scoring. New West seemed to find some life in the third and tried to mount a comeback but they came up short against a tough Brampton defence backed by a solid performance by Cosmo (who had help with some lucky goal line bounces) and lost 8-5.
The first ten minutes of this game was by far the best. Action was going both ways and the defence on both ends allowed very little. Brampton had trouble getting their first goal after hitting the post a couple times but when they did they got a couple within a couple minutes and that seemed to take the steam out of the Salmonbellies and that lead to more quality chances for Brampton. Brampton seemed to totally dominate the second half of the first period. The Salmonbellies power play was ineffective as well. They seemed to be flat footed and didn't get Cosmo moving around enough. The Salmonbellies regained their composure late in the game, after the game got a bit ugly, and showed glimpses of why they were the best team in the country during the regular season.
I confirmed something last night, something that I was thinking on for a few games now: it is hard to keep really focus on a game when dealing with a two year old as well. Although my son was relatively behaved last night, I found that I struggled to really pay attention to the game so my analysis is not as in depth as I would have liked. We'll try again tonight.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Red Sox Win 2008 IBL Title
The Intercounty Baseball League’s Brantford Red Sox won their second title in three years in their third straight final on Friday night in London. Just like last year, the Sox won game six to force a game seven but unlike last year’s disappointing loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs, this year the Sox defeated the London Majors 8-2 to take the title. Brantford also won in 2006, also against the London team.
En route to their title, Brantford was able to exact some revenge on the Leafs by beating them in four straight games in the opening round of the playoffs. In round two, the Sox defeated the Guelph Royals in six games, including a 1-0 win and a 2-0 win. The final series against the Majors started off close with two extra-inning games and three of the first four games were decided by a single run (game three was a 2-0 victory for London). The final two games were a different story though. Brantford had 11 hits in each of those games and outscored London 14-4.
En route to their title, Brantford was able to exact some revenge on the Leafs by beating them in four straight games in the opening round of the playoffs. In round two, the Sox defeated the Guelph Royals in six games, including a 1-0 win and a 2-0 win. The final series against the Majors started off close with two extra-inning games and three of the first four games were decided by a single run (game three was a 2-0 victory for London). The final two games were a different story though. Brantford had 11 hits in each of those games and outscored London 14-4.
Can Brampton Excel Over New Westminster?
The final series in the MSL is finally over and the Brampton Excelsiors have outlasted the Peterborough Lakers for the chance to host the 2008 Mann Cup. In the deciding game seven, Peterborough started the scoring early, just 27 seconds in, but Brampton lead at the end of the first and never looked back. By all accounts it was a defensive display put on by both teams with Pat O'Toole keeping the Lakers in the game as he was peppered by almost sixty shots. Unfortunately, the Lakers offense, missing two key players in John Grant Jr and Josh Gillam, had just as much trouble finding the back of the net. Brampton came out with a commanding 7-2 victory.The Excelsiors will host the New Westminster Salmonbellies for the Mann Cup beginning Friday September 5, 2008 at the Powerade Centre. The Bellies are coming off an amazing season in which they lost only one game in the regular season. They swept their way through the WLA playoffs as well and plan to be the first western team to defeat an Ontario team in Ontario since a team from New West accomplished that feat back in 1986. The schedule is as follows:
Sept. 5th - 7:30 pm - New Westminster vs Brampton
Sept. 6th - 7:30 pm - New Westminster vs Brampton
Sept. 8th - 7:30 pm - New Westminster vs Brampton
Sept. 9th - 7:30 pm - New Westminster vs Brampton
Sept. 10th - 7:30 pm - New Westminster vs Brampton
Sept. 12th - 7:30 pm - New Westminster vs Brampton
Sept. 13th - 7:30 pm - New Westminster vs Brampton
If I am able to get to any games, I will try to write a summary the next day. I am really hoping for a sweep though as I have other obligations for the last three games and will not be able to see them.
Northmen Are Victorious!
Ontario retains title as the Orangeville Northmen win the 2008 Minto Cup in Calgary, Alberta (August 30). After defeating the 2007 champion Six Nations Arrows in the Ontario final, the Northmen swept the Minto Cup round robin with relative ease en route to a 9-4 win in the cup final against the Victoria Shamrocks.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Let's Play One More
With game six tied at 7 and one period to play, the anticipation at the Memorial Centre in Peterborough must have been immense last night as the crowd, excited by a big second period by Peterborough, must have sensed victory for the home team. To their dismay their team did not deliver in the third period as Anthony Cosmo shut the door and the Brampton Excelsiors took the game 11-7 to tie the MSL final series at three games.
Colin Doyle and Brodie Merrill returned to the Brampton lineup and John Grant Jr returned for Peterborough after helping the Rochester Rattlers win the MLL championship. John Grant Jr had an impact on the score sheet as he scored twice and added two assists. The two Brampton boys got in on the scoring as well with one goal and two assists for Colin Doyle and two assists for Brodie Merrill. Lakers defense had a tough time containing Blaine Manning again as he netted a hat trick to lead all scorers in goals (Manning scored six times in game 5) but the biggest surprise of the game was Phil Sanderson’s game winning goal in the third period (it was only his second goal of the season in 23 games played).
Game seven goes Thursday night in Brampton and it should be another great game. I am really impartial as to the winner as the travel distance is about the same both ways. Colin Doyle is a treat to watch though, especially when he puts the team on his back for a late push (similar to what he did against the Redmen in game three of that series), so I’m leaning towards Brampton. But then again, the Lakers offense can score some pretty goals and make some jaw-dropping plays…
Colin Doyle and Brodie Merrill returned to the Brampton lineup and John Grant Jr returned for Peterborough after helping the Rochester Rattlers win the MLL championship. John Grant Jr had an impact on the score sheet as he scored twice and added two assists. The two Brampton boys got in on the scoring as well with one goal and two assists for Colin Doyle and two assists for Brodie Merrill. Lakers defense had a tough time containing Blaine Manning again as he netted a hat trick to lead all scorers in goals (Manning scored six times in game 5) but the biggest surprise of the game was Phil Sanderson’s game winning goal in the third period (it was only his second goal of the season in 23 games played).
Game seven goes Thursday night in Brampton and it should be another great game. I am really impartial as to the winner as the travel distance is about the same both ways. Colin Doyle is a treat to watch though, especially when he puts the team on his back for a late push (similar to what he did against the Redmen in game three of that series), so I’m leaning towards Brampton. But then again, the Lakers offense can score some pretty goals and make some jaw-dropping plays…
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Lacrosse Championships and Finals
This past weekend saw a couple national champions crowned along with the MLL champions. Saturday evening the Owen Sound Woodsmen defeated the host Outlaws 11-5 in Sherwood Park to claim their first President’s Cup. They went through the tournament undefeated and clearly dominated the opposing teams. The Woodies opened the tournament with an 8-5 victory over the Airdrie Knights and went on to defeat the Outlaws 11-5 and the Tri-City Bandits 8-4 in the round robin before crushing the Bandits 11-2 in their semi-final game. The Bandits ended up losing in the Bronze game to the Quebec league representative Kahnawake Mohawks.
A few thousand miles away in Guelph, Ontario, the Canadian Junior B championship
was being fought for in the 2008 Founders Cup. In the end the host Guelph Regals lost to the defending champion Six Nations Rebels by the score of 8-7. Both teams in the final game finished the round robin with a perfect 5-0 record. Six Nations defeated the Port Coquitlam Saints of the BCLA 10-3 in their semi-final game to advance while the Regals defeated the Iroquois Nation of the ILA 8-1 to earn a spot in the finals. Iroquois defeated the Saints in the third place game.
The Major League Lacrosse season also came to a close Sunday with the crowning of the 2008 champions. The action started Saturday with the semi-final games and concluded Sunday with the championship game from Harvard Stadium in Cambridge, MA (home of the Boston Cannons). The Rochester Rattlers defeated the Philadelphia Barrage 16-15 in overtime before claiming the championship by beating the Denver Outlaws 16-6. The Outlaws earned a spot in the finals by downing the Los Angeles Riptide 13-12 in their semi-final.
That leaves two other national championships to be decided, the Minto Cup and the Mann Cup. The 2008 Minto Cup (junior A national title) is currently being played for in Calgary with the OLA Orangeville Northmen leading all others at 2-0. The Victoria Shamrocks and Calgary Jr. Mountaineers are at 1-1 and the Edmonton Miners are 0-2. The final will be played on Saturday August 30 at 7:30 PM. The 2008 Mann Cup (senior A title) will be hosted by the winner of the MSL final that has yet to be decided. Game six goes tonight in Peterborough with the Lakers up three games to two against the Brampton Excelsiors. The Western Lacrosse Association champion was decided last night as the New Westminster Salmonbellies took game four of their best of seven series 11-8 against the Coquitlam Adanacs. The ‘bellies finished the regular season as the top team in the nation with a 17-1 record and went through the WLA playoffs undefeated.
A few thousand miles away in Guelph, Ontario, the Canadian Junior B championship
was being fought for in the 2008 Founders Cup. In the end the host Guelph Regals lost to the defending champion Six Nations Rebels by the score of 8-7. Both teams in the final game finished the round robin with a perfect 5-0 record. Six Nations defeated the Port Coquitlam Saints of the BCLA 10-3 in their semi-final game to advance while the Regals defeated the Iroquois Nation of the ILA 8-1 to earn a spot in the finals. Iroquois defeated the Saints in the third place game.
The Major League Lacrosse season also came to a close Sunday with the crowning of the 2008 champions. The action started Saturday with the semi-final games and concluded Sunday with the championship game from Harvard Stadium in Cambridge, MA (home of the Boston Cannons). The Rochester Rattlers defeated the Philadelphia Barrage 16-15 in overtime before claiming the championship by beating the Denver Outlaws 16-6. The Outlaws earned a spot in the finals by downing the Los Angeles Riptide 13-12 in their semi-final.That leaves two other national championships to be decided, the Minto Cup and the Mann Cup. The 2008 Minto Cup (junior A national title) is currently being played for in Calgary with the OLA Orangeville Northmen leading all others at 2-0. The Victoria Shamrocks and Calgary Jr. Mountaineers are at 1-1 and the Edmonton Miners are 0-2. The final will be played on Saturday August 30 at 7:30 PM. The 2008 Mann Cup (senior A title) will be hosted by the winner of the MSL final that has yet to be decided. Game six goes tonight in Peterborough with the Lakers up three games to two against the Brampton Excelsiors. The Western Lacrosse Association champion was decided last night as the New Westminster Salmonbellies took game four of their best of seven series 11-8 against the Coquitlam Adanacs. The ‘bellies finished the regular season as the top team in the nation with a 17-1 record and went through the WLA playoffs undefeated.
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