SIX NATIONS – There was a power outage at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena Sunday night, but certainly not with the first place Six Nations Arrows Express who took a 1-0 lead in the best of five series against the St. Catharines Athletics in the OLA Jr. A quarter-final playoffs.
The power outage that affected a large part of Six Nations interrupted service to the ILA near the end of the first period throwing the arena into darkness. After about a 15-minute delay, partial power was restored with emergency generators, enough to light up the floor and surrounding area at least.
Both teams were out to deliver a message in Game #1. For the Athletics, the message seemed to be to not take them lightly. For the Arrows it was, we will beat you in the ally if that’s the way you want to go, or on the floor.
The Arrows Express put four goals past St. Kitts starter Tyler Sullivan before the halfway point in the first period scored by Greg Longboat, Johnny Powless and two by Josh Johnson.
The A’s rallied with goals by Cody Ward, at 9:44 and Holden Garlent, shorthanded, at 13:02 to end the first stanza with the Arrows leading 4-2.
Six Nations added three more to begin the second period, scored by Haodais Maracle, Powless and Anthony Patterson. The period ended with the Arrows in control 10-4.
With the affects of the full moon still in the air, and the game pretty well in the bag, the A’s and Arrows decided it was time to forget about lacrosse for a while and leave their messages for Game #2, and turned the third period into a boxing match, with a full slate of bouts on the card.
The first bout was between Arrows enforcer Trevor Stacey and Athletics’ hard nose, Nicholas Beaudoin at 7:34. The second dust up involved Arrows’ tough guy Patrick Thornhill and the A’s Billy Saxton at 9:09. A few minutes later, Arrows’ Anthony Patterson wanted a piece of Saxton. Then Quinn Powless and Ryan Dakin wrestled each other in the final bout of the night.
“We acquired a couple of guys to come here and do what we just saw tonight,” said Ian Martin. “Patrick Thornhill and Trevor Stacey were a couple of studs out there doing their thing and got the tempo moving for us.”
When all the fighting was over, they retuned to lacrosse to complete the game. Kyle Porter scored for St. Catharines at 10:28 to make it 10-5, before Ian Martin, Wenster Green and Stuart Martin finished the A’s off, 13-5.
“The A’s really didn’t give us what we expected tonight,” said Martin after the game. “I think Game #2 will be a lot different. I think they will come out with a little more grit and be a little more physical. The last time we were there it was a pretty good, rough battle. They always play good in their barn and so it should be a good one. It’s good to get that first win. It’s huge. We have home floor advantage throughout the playoffs so that should help too.”
Game #2 is set for Wednesday night, July 16, in St. Kitts at the Bill Burgoyne Arena at 8 pm, and Game #3, back at the ILA, Thursday, July 17th at 8 pm. If there is a Game #4 it will be in St. Kitts Friday July 18, and a possible Game 5 will be at the ILA, Sunday July 20, at 7 pm.
[blockquote source=””]The ticket-price for Game #1 of the OLA Jr. A first round of playoffs, Sunday night included an added feature in the third period, when a three unimpeded, and mutually agreed upon fights broke out, almost back to back. The first bout, saw Arrows enforcer Trevor Stacey and Athletics’ hard nose, Nicholas Beaudoin do battle. The two combatants politely dropped their gloves, touched, ‘em up before having at it. A few minutes after the dust settled from that fight, Arrows’ Patrick Thornhill and A’s Billy Saxton got into it. Anthony Patterson and Saxton tussled as well as Quinn Powless and A’s Ryan Dakin. Oh, and the Arrows won the lacrosse game, 13-5. Photos by Jim Windle[/blockquote]
