The Six Nations Junior ‘A’ Arrows lacrosse team played two games over the past weekend: one on the road up against the Toronto Beaches and one at home facing the Brampton Excelsiors.
The away game in Toronto was the make-up for a game that was cancelled June 1 due to dangerous floor conditions. Per league rules the game was to begin at the point were the last game was cancelled.
The game started with 6:09 remaining in the first period with the Toronto Beaches leading 3-1. The shortened opening period resulted in no scoring for either team.
Daylin John-Hill would open the scoring in the second period with assists going to Owen Vanloon and Thunder Hill. Toronto then scored consecutive goals before John-Hill buried two in a row completing the hat trick and pulling the Arrows within one at 5-4.
The two teams would trade goals in at the end of the second with Matt Hamill scoring for Six Nations. The Arrows 2022 leading scorer Tyler Davis injured his knee in the cancelled game two weeks earlier and made his return felt scoring early in the third period tying the game at 6 goals a piece.
With the game still tied Arrows defender Brody Thomas laid a bone rattling check on a Toronto forward. The hit appeared to be a stiff shoulder into the chest of the Toronto player, but because the hit was close to the boards and the Beaches player laid on the floor writhing in pain, Thomas received 5 minutes for boarding and a game explosion.
Toronto was able to capitalize on the power play for one goal, but the Arrows would answer back with Tyler Davis getting his second of the game while shorthanded tying the game 7-7. Unfortunately, that would be it for the Arrows scoring as the Beaches would add two late goals to take the game 9-7.
Sunday night the Arrows hosted the Brampton Excelsiors who came to the ILA riding a three game winning streak. Six Nations beat Brampton earlier in the year so they were hoping to complete the season sweep. The Arrows jumped out to a 2-0 lead on an unassisted goal from Owen Vanloon and another goal from Daylin John-Hill assisted by Tyler Davis and Kahentienni Thompson.
Brampton answered back with two of their own to tie the game before Ross Hill would make it 3-2 from Hadowas Smith and Matt Hamill to end the opening period.
The Arrows added to their lead in the second period winning the frame 4-2 to push their lead to 7-4. The home side got goals from Tyler Davis, Mitch VanEvery, Thunder Hill and Daylin John-Hill getting his second of the night. VanEvery’s goal was a beauty back hand after collecting a rebound in front of the Brampton net.
In the third period the Arrows defense would be tested as they were dealt four minor penalties in the period, while Brampton received none. The visitors scored the scored the first two goals, one on the power play to pull within one. Much of the play would be in the Arrows end as the Arrows man-down unit and goaltender Ethan Robertson faced a barrage of shots while killing off multiple penalties.
When getting back to even strength the Arrows found the back of the net two more times courtesy of Tyler Davis and Thunder Hill both getting their second goals of the game.
An all-around solid effort was turned in by the Arrows defense and goaltender Ethan Robertson holding Brampton to six goals as the Arrows would take a 9-6 victory. Robertson would stop 51 of 57 shots in the win.
Arrows currently hold the final playoff spot in eighth place with a 4-6 record. A busy week of games is up again for the Arrows as they host Burlington at the ILA Wednesday at 8pm, travel to St.Catharines Saturday for a 7pm start before returning to home to ILA to play Kitchener-Waterloo Sunday at 7pm.
