The Maple Ridge Burrards ran into a brick wall named Matt Vinc last night in game two of the Mann Cup series, which the Peterborough Century 21 Lakers now lead 2-0 after a 10-1 win.
“I’m trying to rack my brain for the last time I’ve seen [a team score just one goal] and I can’t think of one,” said Holden Cattoni. “It’s incredible with the firepower they have on their team. They’re a very, very talented team. That speaks volumes about our defense and the way Vno played tonight.”
Mike Mallory scored the only goal for the Burrards at 8:37 of the first period. It was the game’s opening goal. The Lakers responded with 10 unanswered while playing the best defense of the season in front of Vinc, who made 30 saves.
It was quite a difference from game one’s 14-13 double OT score.
“We came to play tonight and we were fortunate to keep the ball out of the net. Vno stood on his head and that was a huge part of it. They had a lot of chances. I attribute [our success tonight] to really good defense and especially Vno’s play tonight,” said Chad Tutton.
Tutton, especially, has been tasked with keeping Dickson in check, and he’s done his job through two games. Dickson was held to five shots in game two.
“I don’t think he’s very happy with me,” Tutton chuckled. “I’m trying to really get under his skin as much as I can. Obviously he’s their best guy and he knows that, everybody knows that, so I’m going to do whatever I can to throw him off his game and I think I’m doing a pretty good job right now.”
Cattoni tied the game less than two minutes two after Mallory’s goal, avoiding a check and throwing a backhand past Scigliano to convert Shawn Evans’ falling pass. He put the Lakers up 2-1 on a give-and-go with Evans nine seconds into the game’s first power play. Adam Jones increased the lead 59 seconds later, and Jake Withers scored four seconds after that after winning his faceoff.
Matt Gilray opened the second period with a transition goal. Cattoni completed his hat trick at 5:12. Turner Evans and Cory Vitarelli also scored for an 8-1 Lakers’ lead after two.
The entire game had been rough with 32 combined penalty minutes in minors through the first 40 minutes. Zack Porter also received a 10-minute unsportsmanlike conduct penalty late in the second period, while Burrards’ assistant coach Rob Dalzell was ejected at the end of the frame.
However, the third period got silly as the Burrards became unglued. Owen Barker took a roughing major, then almost as soon as he left the box, took a charging major. There was only one true fight, with Travis Irving instigating on Bryce Sweeting late in the game, as more liberties were taken instead. There was someone in either box nearly the entire period, although Maple Ridge took the brunt of the calls.
“It’s to be expected. It’s a series and guys have a lot of pride. They’re not going to go away just because of the score,” said Cattoni. “We want them to be in the penalty box and we want to stay out and be on the power play as much as we can… but at the same time you have to stand up for yourself and your teammates. I think we walked that line very well tonight and that’s something that we might have to do again depending on the series.”
Turner Evans and Josh Currier scored power play goals in the third period as the Lakers went 3-12, though a lot of those chances were abbreviated moments.
Tutton gave credit to defensive coach Bobby Keast after the game for keeping the Lakers’ defense under control.
“Keaster was very calm and composed as he normally is,” Tutton said. “He never flies off the handle, he just helps us stay the course and keep doing what we’re doing. I don’t think we’re really going to have to make any adjustment after that. I think we just stay with the game plan we’ve got. It seems to be working so until it stops working we’re going to stick with that.”
The tournament takes a day off on Sunday before resuming Monday night at 8 p.m. Tickets are on sale at the box office, online at www.memorialcentre.ca or by phone at 705-743-3561.
The goaltenders were both named the players of the game.