The Minto Cup won’t be a crosstown showdown.
The Orangeville Northmen defeated the Port Coquitlam Saints 13-9 in their semifinal Tuesday, Aug. 20, at the Poirier Sport and Leisure Complex to advance to the best-of-three championship finale against the Coquitlam Jr. Adanacs.
After playing the first two periods dead even — 3-3 at the end of the first period and 8-8 after 40 minutes — the champions of the Ontario Lacrosse League outscored the Saints 5-1 in the final frame to avenge an earlier 12-7 loss to PoCo in round-robin play.
In a seesaw battle, the Saints had the lead five times including a 9-8 advantage when Hudson Halladay beat Northmen goalie Connor O’Toole 28 seconds into the third period.
But Orangeville responded with five unanswered goals, the last into an empty net after PoCo pulled goalie Ashton Brown with 1:43 remaining in regulation time in a desperate attempt to get back on even terms.
Halladay and Joshua Mills each scored twice for the Saints, while the Northmen’s offence was led by Trey Deere, who scored six times, with Liam Matthews pitching in another three.
The Northmen fired 56 shots at Brown while PoCo players directed 49 shots at O'Toole.
Orangeville beat the Adanacs 12-9 in their round-robin game on Monday.
The result created a three-way tie between the Northmen, Saints and Adanacs as each completed preliminary play with two wins and a loss. But Coquitlam earned a bye into the final with a better goal differential.
The championship final begins Thursday, Aug. 22, with game two schedule for Friday, Aug. 23. If a third game is necessary it will be played Saturday, Aug. 24.
All games begin at 7 p.m. at Poirier.
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