The Coquitlam Adanacs will host the Nanaimo Timbermen Saturday (Aug. 6) at 7 p.m. at the Poirier Sport and Leisure Complex in the first game of their best-of-seven Western Lacrosse Association (WLA) first-round playoff series.
The Adanacs clinched second place in the league standings with a 13-7 win over the New Westminster Salmonbellies on Thursday (Aug. 4) at Queen’s Park Arena.
The victory created a four-way tie amongst the teams that had already clinched their position in the post-season, so seedings had to be determined by a complicated formula involving head-to-head games and goal differential.
The Langley Thunder finished atop the standings while the Victoria Shamrocks claimed the fourth seed and will play each other in the first round.
In New West Thursday, Brett McIntyre, Adam Dickson and Ryan Johnson all had four points to launch the Adanacs into their first post-season since 2013 on a winning note.
Coquitlam spotted the Salmonbellies the game’s first two goals, then roared back with three of their own in less than three minutes before Thomas Vela got the sides back on even terms with a power play goal 17:36 into the first period.
The deadlock lasted all of seven seconds after Brett Draper put the visitors back in front — and the Adanacs never looked back.
Reid Bowering scored a pair of goals and Tyler Garrison added another to give Coquitlam a 7-3 advantage midway through the second period that ballooned to 10-5 before the sides retreated to their dressing rooms for the intermission.
Dylan Watson, Dickson and Johnson scored goals for the Adanacs in the third period while Jordan McBride and Vela replied for the home team.
Christian Del Bianco stopped 45 of the 52 shots he faced in Coquitlam’s net. His teammates fired 53 shots at Salmonbellies’ keeper Neil Tyacke.
Coquitlam finished with a 202 campaign record of 12-6, which included eight wins out of nine games on their home floor.
The A's won the three-game season series with Nanaimo, 2-1.
Adanacs’ playoff schedule against the Timbermen:
- Saturday, Aug. 6, 7 p.m. @ Coquitlam
- Monday, Aug. 8, 7 p.m. @ Nanaimo
- Wednesday, Aug. 10, 7 p.m. @ Coquitlam
- Friday, Aug. 12, 7 p.m. @ Nanaimo
- Saturday, Aug. 13, 7 p.m. @ Coquitlam (if necessary)
- Monday, Aug. 15, 7 p.m. @ Nanaimo (if necessary)
- Wednesday, Aug. 17, 7 p.m. @ Coquitlam (if necessary)
