ORANGEVILLE – It is clear that this is not going to be another banner year for Six Nations lacrosse around the Ontario Lacrosse Association and for the two-time Minto Cup Champion Arrows who lost in four straight games to the Orangeville Northmen last Tuesday night.
After dropping the first three games 12-11, 12-9 and 5-4, the Arrows were in a must-win situation at the Tony Rose Arena in Orangeville in front of 800 Northmen fans.
Knowing the gravity of the game, both teams behaved themselves as referees only called one penalty all game, that, in the third period against Orangeville.
The teams traded two first period goals each, Oran Horn and Chris Cloutier for the Arrows. Brendan Bomberry gave Six Nations the lead at 33 seconds of the second from Horn and Tyson Bomberry, but in the middle part of the frame, the Northmen took charge scoring the next four goals.
Tehoka Nanticoke closed the period with the Arrows behind 6-4 with 20 minutes to make that up.
Travis Brown scored for the Northmen early in the third which Brendan Bomberry responded to with back to back Six Nations goals, his second and third of the game.
With the score 7-6 and the Arrows pressing, Dallas Bridle made it 8-6 with three minutes remaining. Chris Cloutier scored on a powerplay but with the net empty, Orangeville drove the last nail in the Arrows season at 19:54.
Keeping the high scoring Arrows off the score sheet is not easy but the Northmen found that key to their success and the Orangeville squad is to be commended for being able to do that. Doug Jamieson faced 54 shots while Nolan Clayton had to handle 52 Six Nations shots.
Team general manager Scott Smith promises a few changes next year after this playoffs’ sudden collapse, but is still at a loss to what exactly went wrong against Orangeville.
“I really don’t know what happened,” he admits.
