It’s hard to label lacrosse games in mid-May as crucial unless you happen to be playing 14 percent of your entire regular season schedule over a 72-hour period.
That’s what the Delta Islanders will encounter this weekend as they look to climb back into contention in the B.C. Junior “A” Lacrosse League.
They take a 1-3 record into Port Coquitlam tonight (Friday) to face the first place Saints (4-0). It’s then a doubleheader of games at the Ladner Leisure Centre, starting with the Langley Thunder (1-3) visiting on Saturday night (7 p.m.) before the Victoria Shamrocks (4-1) are in town on Sunday at 3:30 p.m.
Following the hectic stretch, the Islanders will have just 14 regular season games remaining before their schedule concludes July 8.
They are coming off a 10-8 home floor loss to PoCo last Saturday as they welcomed back key players Keegan Kozack, Silas Richmond and Rhys Porteous from their NCAA field lacrosse seasons south of the border.
Richmond, who earned American East Conference All-Rookie Team honours at the University of Albany, made a smooth transition back to the box version of the game with a goal and three assists.
Kozack, who wrapped up his junior season at Canisius College in Buffalo had a three-point night, including a pair of goals. Porteous, back home from his junior year at Manhattan College, had a goal and an assist.
Scott Williams, Jake Young and Turner Anderson also scored for Delta while Trase Recsky was terrific in net with 54 saves. The Saints enjoyed a 64-38 advantage in the shot department.
