The Coquitlam Jr. Adanacs did not veer from their regular-season game plan in the opening playoff bout against the New Westminster Salmonbellies Wednesday night.
Step 1: establish an early lead.
Step 2: hold off the opposition’s inevitable offensive push back.
Step 3: wait until the opponents, who outshot the A’s 51-43, tire themselves out before re-establishing a commanding lead.
It was Coquitlam’s captain Michael Messenger who opened the scoring in Game 1 of the first round of the B.C. Jr. ‘A’ Lacrosse League playoff series. Tyler Pace followed up with a quick marker before New West got on the board with a goal from Dane Sorensen.
Pace added another along with Chris Cloutier and Cole Shafer to give the A’s a comfortable 5-1 cushion at the Poirier Sport and Leisure Complex.
That’s when the second step in the game plan came into play.
Before the first period ended, New West quickly closed the gap with goals from Brandon Clelland, Carter Dickson and Drew Belgrave, making it 5-4. A late period power play goal from Coquitlam’s Jordan Magnuson slowed the visitor’s momentum before the first intermission.
But the A’s had the answer for New West in the third in the form of Jean-Luc Chetner, who quickly quelled any comeback concerns.
The forward, who has been outstanding all season, potted two quick goals, before Magnuson made it 9-4 with his second of the game.
New West’s forwards tried valiantly to push back against the wave of Coquitlam shooters and Johnny Pearson and Connor Robinson managed to to add goals for the Bellies.
But those would be the last markers from the visitors, who failed to score in the third period.
Meanwhile, Coquitlam got two more goals out of Chetner, a single from Mike Rybka and a short-handed goal from Chris Cloutier to finish up the opener with a 14-7 victory.
The A’s will now head to the Queen’s Park Arena on Saturday for a 2:30 afternoon game against the New Westminster Salmonbellies. The series will return to Coquitlam next Wednesday for a 7:30 p.m. faceoff.
For more information go to www.bcjall.com.
