Chiefs champs again

SIX NATIONS – The Six Nations Chiefs of the OLA Major Series Sr. A have won their third Mann Cup in four years, the sixth in franchise history, going back to 1993.

After the Peterborough Lakers spoiled the Chiefs’ chance for a second three-peat string of Mann Cup wins last season, the 2016 Chiefs were not about to let that happen again as they turned the Western Champion Maple Ridge Burrards back to B.C., empty handed, defeating the Burrards four games to one in the best of seven.

Last Wednesday night at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena, the Chiefs had the dangerous Burrards with their backs pressed firmly against the wall and expected a tougher game Wednesday night from the visitors who billed themselves the “Burrard Street Bullies”.

“We knew they were going to come out hard,” said Sid Smith after the win. “This was a tough series too [comparing it to the Peterborough series]. Those last two games could have gone either way. We were really invested in this one and there were some ups and downs for sure.”

It was a 3-2 game in favour of the Chiefs after the first period Wednesday with Randy Staats accounting for all three Six Nations goals. An epic second period collapse of the Burrards under the relentless pressure of the Chiefs all-star lineup proved to be difference as Ryan Benesch scored three times, Cody Jamieson, Dan Dawson and Austin Staats helped produce a 9-4 second period lead heading into the final 20 minutes of regulation time.

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You could almost hear the Maple Ridge bench collapse when Craig Point scored Six Nations’ 10th goal only 56 seconds into the third period. Smelling victory, Jamieson, Benesch, Dawson, and Brier Jonathan all piled on for a 14-4 lead. Maple Ridge scored two late goals but the game was already over by then.

There has been much ink spilled over the offensive power of this year’s Chiefs, and rightfully so, but in this Mann Cup run it has been the Chiefs defence deserving of the accolades.

The lunch-bucket crew on the back end of the Chiefs success made up of Sid Smith, Billy D Smith, Ethan O’Conner, Paul Dawson, Brodie Merrill, Jeremy Thompson, David Brock and Jon Sullivan, along with the outstanding goaltending of Dillon Ward throughout the playoffs, made goals against the Chiefs not easy to come by — especially in the last three games of the Maple Ridge series.

Coach and team president Duane Jacobs was all smiles in seeing the Mann Cup return to Six Nations. For Jacobs it was the sixth time he has lifted the Sr. A Mann Cup, all with the Chiefs. He was an important member of the 1994, ‘95 and ‘96 Mann Cup Champion Chiefs as a player and three times now behind the bench, in 2013, 2014 and 2016. Head coach Rich Kilgour has also held the Cup high six times as a player and a coach. Chiefs offensive coach John Tavares, holds the all-time leader in Mann Cup scoring, having produced 203 points in his 10 series. He also leads in Mann Cup rings, with eight.

“You know everybody did a great job,” said Jacobs. He was full of praise for everyone in the Chiefs organization as he watched his team set up for its latest Championship photo.

Dan Dawson had a great series including two goals and five assists Wednesday night, giving him a series-leading 30 points (8-22), and he was awarded the Mike Kelley Memorial Trophy as MVP afterwards.

“We knew Maple Ridge was going to be a good team,” Dawson said. “You don’t get to the Mann Cup on a whim or because you get lucky, you get here for a reason. They’ve got a young and talented team that works hard and they gave us a heck of a series.”

But Dawson’s remarks about teammate Cody Jamieson tells the story of this year’s win.

“And then there’s Cody,” Dawson told the The Grand River Sachem. “What he’s done with the injury he has is nothing short of incredible. If this were baseball or hockey, someone would make a movie about him and what he’s done to lead this team.”

Leading the Chiefs offence through the Mann Cup series were Dawson: Dawson (8G,22A), Randy Staats (8G,13A), Ryan Benesch (12G,8A), Dhane Smith (3G,17A), Cody Jamieson (6G,8A, in three games) and Jr. A Arrows call up, Austin Staats (8G,5A).

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