Saturday, August 9, 2014

Lakers take 3-1 series lead over Kodiaks with 9-7 Friday night win

The Peterborough Lakers scored the last two goals to take a 9-7 win and with it a 3-1 lead in their MSL semifinal series with the Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks Friday night in Waterloo. Shawn Evans scored what proved to be the game winner just past the midway point of the third period and Scott Evans added an insurance goal with about six minutes to play. The Lakers had to overcome a 5-2 KW lead midway through the second period. They got a couple of goals back with back to back power play markers 27 seconds apart. After KW scored one to regain a two-goal lead, Peterborough finished the period with a flurry, scoring three goals in the final 2:14. KW tied it up just over three minutes into the third, setting the stage for the Evans brothers' heroics.

Lakers assistant coach Bobby Keast was pleased with his team's performance, especially the way they didn't panic when they were behind. “We've kind of prided ourselves on not having that panic button to push whether you're up or you're behind,” he said. Now their goal is to finish off the Kodiaks as soon as possible. Keast says the Lakers should come out focused in Game 5 on Monday in Peterborough. “It's the prize at the end. We've got to close out this series and we want to do that at home. To be honest, we feel like we owe our fans back at home a big W. We haven't played well at home so we want to change that Monday night,” Keast said.


Glen Bryan and the Kodiaks are determined not to make that easy for the Lakers. Bryan said the last two minutes of the second hurt them. “It looked like we outplayed them for 38 of the first 40 minutes and the two minutes at the end really cost us,” he said. “Instead of going into the third up 6-4 we're down 7-6. That took a little bit out of the guys' sails right there.”


The Kodiaks aren't content with being competitive, Bryan said. “The first four games of the series have shown that we can play with them and the guys in the room believe it. I think that's what matters most. We're not going out there just to be satisfied with having a close game any more. We're here to win and I think the guys believe we can.”