It's very likely only provincial bragging rights will be on the line when the Ladner Pioneers and Tri-City Bandits renew their longtime rivalry in the West Coast Senior Lacrosse Association championship series.
Typically, the winner advances to represent B.C. in the President's Cup national championships. However, this year's event is being hosted by the Kahnawake Mohawks of the Quebec Senior Lacrosse League - Aug. 26-Sept. 1. The cost for the week long trip is estimated in the neighbourhood of $2,000 per player player and neither the Pioneers and Bandits initially committed to the tournament when asked by the league earlier this month.
"Nanaimo is the only team that made the commitment and it's very likely they will be going," said Pioneers assistant coach Sam Thauli. "That is an awful a lot of money and most teams are already thinking about next year when Tri-City gets to host it."
Even with a berth to nationals not being part of the equation, the WCSLA should be a dandy with the Pioneers seeking their first playoff title since 2007 against the five-time defending champion Bandits.
Ladner took both regular season meetings, including a 4-3 home floor earlier this month. Expect a low scoring series with excellent goaltending at both ends, including longtime Pioneer standout Rob Cook.
"I think you will see more of the same," said Thauli. "The larger nets should mean goals are easier to come by but today's goalie pads are bigger too."
The Pioneers enjoy home floor advantage in the best-of-five affair but with ice scheduled to be installed this week at the Ladner Leisure Centre, the club will hope for success at Sungod Arena. The series opens at the North Delta venue on Thursday at 8 p.m. before shifting to Port Coquitlam on Aug. 7 for game two.
The Pioneers did leave Ladner on a winning note Saturday, completing a three game semi-final sweep of the Valley Rebels with a 11-10 victory. The hosts broke a 3-3 deadlock with six goals in the second period. They opened up a 11-6 lead by the midway mark of the third when the Rebels made things interesting with four unanswered goals.
Travis St. Germain led the way with two goals and three assists. Nathan Clare and Corey Williamson also scored twice. Clayton Collison, John MacNeil, Michael Vincent, Quinn Waddington and captain David Yee had the other goals.
Ladner opened the series with 10-7 win behind a four goal performance from Clare. The sweep was set-up by a 10-6 victory in Abbotsford last Thursday as Ladner jumped out to a 6-1 lead after 20 minutes and never looked back. a The locals took advantage of Valley penalty trouble to score four power play goals in the opening stanza - two each from Jared Wheatley and Waddington.
"That game two win in Abbotsford was really big," added Thauli. "We got off to great starts in each of the games and they were able to chip away at the leads a bit. Cook was outstanding and you could really tell he was getting into their heads.
"(Head coach) Bob (Taylor) and I are really proud of the way the guys played and what they have already accomplished this season. You have to remember this is a young team and there should be a good influx of more young talent coming in" Cook turned aside 40 shots in the game two victory. Waddington finished with four goals and Wheatley had a first period hat trick. John Canil and MacNeil also scored.
