Six Nations Chiefs open 2013 playoffs with dominating 13-7 win over KW Kodiaks.

Cody Jamieson, here scoring against Peterborough, had 6

points to help Six Nations take the opener of their semi 

final series against Kitchener. (Photo: Tim Prothero)

The Six Nations Chiefs opened the 2013 Major Series Lacrosse playoffs the same way they went through the regular season; they combined a balanced offensive attack with stingy defence and goaltending to win, in this case taking out the Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks 13-7 in the first game of their MSL semi final. Craig Point was the top gunner this time, with 4 goals and 4 assists, including the first 2 goals of the game and a pair in the 7-3 second period that gave the Chiefs control of the game. Colin Doyle scored 3 goals and 3 assists and Cody Jamieson added 2 goals and 4 assists for the Chiefs. Defensively, Six Nations limited the Kodiaks to 34 shots, of which Evan Kirk stopped 27 to earn the win in goal.

Seven different players scored for KW, who came back to tie the game up through the first period after Six Nations had scored the first 3 goals of the game. They couldn't come back from the Chiefs scoring the first 3 goals of the second period as well, though. Drew Petkoff's unassisted marker 18 seconds before the midway mark of the game stemmed the Six Nations' momentum briefly. Very briefly. Six Nations responded with 2 goals in the next 40 seconds and KW was never able to challenge again. The score was 10-6 after the second period, then once again the Chiefs opened the third with the period's first 3 goals.

Peterborough vs Brooklin first round playoff dates set

The schedule has been released for the Major Series Lacrosse semi final series between 2nd-place Peterborough and 3rd-place Brooklin.


Game 1 - August 1st Brooklin at Peterborough @ 8PM
Game 2 - August 5th Peterborough at Brooklin @ 8PM
Game 3 - August 6th Brooklin at Peterborough @ 8PM
Game 4 - August 8th Peterborough at Brooklin @ 8PM
Game 5 - August 12th Brooklin at Peterborough @ 8PM*
Game 6 - August 14th Peterborough at Brooklin @ 8PM*
Game 7 - August 15th Brooklin at Peterborough @ 8PM*
* if necessary

Chiefs wrap up first place season with 10-5 win over Rock

The Six Nations Chiefs have finished alone atop Major Series Lacrosse for the first time since 1996. They finished their regular season with a 10-5 win over Oakville in which they outscored the Rock in each of the three periods. Roger Vyse led the way with 3 goals and 3 assists; Scott DeFrancesco added 2 goals and 2 assists for the Chiefs. Five different players scored for Oakville, with Kyle Davis their top points man as he added 2 assists to his goal.

Brenner Jacobs got the win in goal for Six Nations in his first MSL start. "It was the utmost surreal moment in my career," Jacobs told the Brantford Expositor. "Oakville's goalie, Tye Belanger, was my goalie coach in Wallaceburg (Jr. B) last year. He told me all last year to just keep working hard so you can get to where you want to go. That's what I've been all about this year."

The Chiefs finish the season with a 16-3-1 record and will be at least 7 points ahead of second place (Peterborough will reach 26 points if they beat Oakville Monday night). 1996, their last solo finish in first place, was the last of three straight Mann Cup seasons for the Chiefs, who haven't been back to the national championship since then. They did tie for the MSL lead with Brampton in 2009, when Cody Jamieson became just the second player to win the MSL MVP, scoring title and Rookie of the Year awards in the same season. 

Six Nations vs Kitchener-Waterloo first round playoff dates set

The dates for the Major Series Lacrosse semi finals between the Six Nations Chiefs and Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks have been established.

Game 1  KW @ Six Nations, July 30 8pm
Game 2  Six Nations @ KW, August 1 8pm
Game 3  KW @ Six Nations, August 6 8pm
Game 4  Six Nations @ KW, August 8 8 pm
*Game 5  KW @ Six Nations, August 11 2pm (time may change to 7pm)
*Game 6  Six Nations @ KW, August 13 8pm
*Game 7  KW @ Six Nations, August 15 8pm

Hopcroft, Priolo, Gamble and Fowler named MSL Players of the Week for week 9

Currently first in goals (27) and second in assists (31) and points (58) for the Brooklin Redmen Derek Hopcroft has been named Offensive Player of the Week. Hopcroft recorded one goal and one assist in both the 11-5 loss to the Six Nations Chiefs on Wednesday and the 7-6 win in Brampton on Thursday and added five goals and three assists, his highest single game points count this season, in the Redmen’s 14-10 win in Brampton on Sunday.

Also from the Brooklin Redmen, Steve Priolo has been named Defensive Player of the Week. Priolo, currently in his first year with the Redmen, has been a solid member of the defense all year. Last week, Priolo recorded one assist in both of the Brooklin wins in Brampton.

Acquired last month by the Six Nations Chiefs in a trade with the Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks, Jesse Gamble has been named Transition Player of the Week. Having his best week yet, Gamble recorded eight points in the Chiefs’ three wins last week with a single game high four points (2G, 2A) in Sunday’s 11-10 win versus Gamble’s former team, the KW Kodiaks.

Going from Six Nations to Kitchener-Waterloo in the Gamble trade, forward Corey Fowler has been named Rookie Player of the Week. Fowler, who has missed about half the season because of injury, was the 2013 CLax leading scorer and subsequently named top rookie and most outstanding player in the league. Last week Fowler recorded one goal and two assists in KW’s 12-10 win versus the Brampton Excelsiors on Tuesday and six points (5G, 1A), including the unassisted power play equalizer in the third and overtime game winner, in the 13-12 win in Peterborough on Thursday.

Brampton at Oakville live webcast tonight at 8 pm

The Brampton Excelsiors at Oakville Rock game Monday night will be webcast live by JVI Video. So if you can't make it down to the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre to see the game in person, just go to the Major Series Lacrosse web site and click on the Webcast Sports link in the right hand column.

Chiefs edge Kodiaks in preview of semi final matchup

With the Brooklin Redmen beating the Brampton Excelsiors 14-10 Sunday and the Six Nations Chiefs edging the Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks 11-10, the semi final series for Major Series Lacrosse are settled. Since KW can only tie Brooklin and the Redmen won the head-to-head season series 3-1, Brooklin has clinched at least third place (they can still catch Peterborough for second to earn home-floor advantage in the semis). That means the Kodiaks and Chiefs will meet in a semi final that, if the regular season games they've played are any indication, should be a barn-burner.

Six Nations won all four games between the two teams, but the last three were by 2, 1 and 1 goals. KW led 7-5 past the midway point of the second period. Then Kasey Beirnes went to work. He scored 3 of his 4 goals in a 4-goal run that gave the Chiefs a lead they wouldn't relinquish. Six Nations led 11-8 when Craig Point scored at 14:06 of the the third period, but the Kodiaks showed their never-say-die spirit by scoring the last 2 goals of the game to make it close.

Kodiaks solidify grip on playoff spot with 12-10 win over Excelsiors

The Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks virtually assured themselves a playoff spot by downing the Brampton Excelsiors 12-10 Tuesday night. The win gives KW 15 points for the season, seven more than Brampton. Each team has four games left to play. That means the Excelsiors would have to win all four of their remaining games while the Kodiaks lost all four of theirs for Brampton to slip into the playoffs.

The game itself served as a pretty good reflection of the season as a whole: the Kodiaks got out to a fast start while Brampton was slow out of the blocks, then Brampton got things together and put on a push towards the end, but ultimately it wasn't enough.

Mike Teeter had a huge first period for the Kodiaks. He scored 4 goals in the period to help give KW a 6-2 lead. They were up 10-4 by the 12:41 mark of the second frame. Then Brampton started chipping away at the lead, getting 1 goal back in the second and outscoring KW 5-2 in the third.

Excelsiors down Lakers 9-7 to bolster playoff hopes

Joe Resetarits, here against Brooklin, scored 6 points to 

lead the Excels over the Lakers Sunday night. 

(Photo: Tim Prothero, VintageLax)

The Brampton Excelsiors took a 5-1 lead against the Peterborough Lakers Sunday night, squandered it, then scored the last 2 goals to pull out a 9-7 win. The Excelsiors victory came a night after the Lakers had crept closer to the top of the standings with a win over the league-leading Six Nations Chiefs. Peterborough entered the game in Brampton hoping to pull within a single point of Six Nations. Instead, they ran into a Brampton team that had recently moved out of last place in Major Series Lacrosse and looks like it has no intention of slipping back into the cellar.

Joe Resetarits led the Brampton attack with 3 goals and 3 assists. Mike Hominuk had 2 goals and 2 assists and Mike Burke scored once and added 3 assists. Josh Gillam responded with a hat trick for the Lakers and John Grant, Jr. added 2 goals and 2 assists.

Brampton, which led 3-1 after the first period and 7-6 after the second, outshot the Lakers 55-43. Anthony Cosmo made 36 saves to earn the win while Tyler Carlson made 46 saves in a losing effort.

Brampton's next action is Tuesday night, when they travel to Kitchener-Waterloo to face the Kodiaks in a game that the Excelsiors hope can pull them closer to KW in the playoff race. They are back home Thursday night against the Brooklin Redmen. The Lakers return to the floor Thursday when they play host to the Kodiaks.

Lakers down Chiefs 11-9, pull within three points of first place

John Grant led the Lakers over the Chiefs with 6 points.
(Photo: Tim Prothero, VintageLax)

On their third try of the season, the Peterborough Lakers finally found a way to beat the Six Nations Chiefs. The Lakers won 11-9 Saturday night, in the process drawing within three points of the Chiefs for first place in Major Series Lacrosse with five games left to play for each team. The teams meet one more time.

John Grant, Jr. led Peterborough scorers with 3 goals and 3 assists while Scott and Shawn Evans each added a pair of goals for the Lakers. Tyler Carlson stopped 26 of the 35 shots he faced to earn the win. Colin Doyle and Cory Bomberry each had hat tricks for the Chiefs. Evan Kirk suffered his first loss of the season (12-1-1), making 33 saves on 44 shots. It was also Six Nations' first loss at home this summer.

Peterborough led 4-2 after the first period and extended their lead to 7-3 at one point in the second. They also had a 10-6 lead in the third, but the Chiefs kept battling back part way. A pair of goals from Doyle and one from Kedoh Hill pulled them back within a single goal, 10-9, late in the third. But Grant sealed the deal with a goal with 25 seconds remaining.  

Brampton downs Oakville to climb out of the MSL basement

The Brampton Excelsiors leapfrogged the Oakville Rock for fifth place in Major Series Lacrosse with a 10-5 win at home on Thursday. Brampton outscored Oakville 5-1 in the first period and led 7-2 after two periods. Chris Attwood was the Excelsiors' top gun with 4 goals. Recently signed Tyler Patterson added 2 goals and an assist and Ryan Learn had a goal and 3 helpers. Anthony Cosmo made 42 saves to earn the win, which moved Brampton to 3-11 and puts them 1 point ahead of Oakville, who falls to 2-10-1 but has a game in hand on the Excelsiors. Brendan Muise scored twice for the Rock.

Lakers down Redmen 11-7 to hold on to second place

Josh Gillam was named player of the game for his 

7-point performance in Peterborough's 11-7 win.
(Photo: Anna Taylor)

The Peterborough Lakers' offensive players didn't like the look of the scoreboard after two periods Thursday night, so they came out in the third and made it look better. An 8-goal third period propelled them to an 11-7 win over the Brooklin Redmen that solidified their hold on second place in a likely preview of the first round of the playoffs. The score was tied 2-2 after the first and Brooklin led 4-3 after the second period.

Josh Gillam and Shawn Evans each posted 3 goals and 4 assists to lead the Lakers attack. Gillam said it was largely a matter of making the most of their shots. “We came in after the second period looking up at the scoreboard and only seeing three goals up there, so we knew we had to step it up, get the ball moving and just stick our shots,” Gillam said. “We had pretty good shots in the first couple of periods but we just weren't hitting our spots.”

It appeared that it took the Lakers a while to get used to playing again without John Grant, Jr., who had to miss the game. Gillam acknowledged that there is an adjustment period to having him in the lineup and then another one to having him away. “Junior is the best player in the world and when he's here he does amazing things with the ball, and you let him do that. That's just the way it goes,” Gillam said. “He wins us games left, right and centre. When he's gone we try to fill the spots, have a bit of a different game style, maybe move the ball a little quicker.”

Redmen at Rock game postponed because of power outage

With the power out to the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre, as it was in much of the Toronto area Monday night, the game between the Brooklin Redmen and the Oakville Rock was postponed. There is no word yet on the when the game will be played.

MSL Media Relations Director Stephen Stamp to appear on CKWR radio Sports Show Monday at 6 pm

The Community Sports Show on CKWR radio in Kitchener-Waterloo will have some Major Series Lacrosse talk tonight. Show host Ron van der Zwaag interviews MSL Director of Media Relations Stephen Stamp about the league and more specifically the KW Kodiaks. The show is on from 6 to 6:30. If you're not in the KW area, you can listen live to the station via their website.

Team coaching and playing personnel will appear on future episodes of the Community Sports Show.

Chiefs down Excelsiors 15-7

The Six Nations Chiefs maintained their three-point lead ahead of Peterborough atop the Major Series Lacrosse standings with a 15-7 win over the Brampton Excelsiors Thursday night. The Chiefs won each period, outscoring Brampton 3-2, 6-2 and 6-2 en route to the victory. Cody Jamieson continued his hot play of late, scoring 4 goals to lead the way for Six Nations. Three other players scored 5 points each: Colin Doyle (2g, 3a), Kedoh Hill (1g, 4a) and Cory Bomberry (1g, 4a). Evan Kirk earned his tenth win of the season, twice as many as anyone else in the league has. Mike Hominuk led the Excelsiors with 2 goals and 3 assists. Ethan O'Connor added a pair of goals.

Six Nations is back in action Saturday night when they play host to the third-place Brooklin Redmen. Brampton returns to the floor next Wednesday, July 10 when they visit Brooklin.  

Lakers hold on to pull out 13-11 win over Rock Thursday night

Mark Steenhuis had a hat trick to help the Lakers down

the Rock 13-11 Thursday night. (Photo: Tim Prothero)

The Peterborough Lakers won the game 13-11, but the Oakville Rock continued to earn respect by winning the third period 7-1 in Major Series Lacrosse action Thursday night in Peterborough. The last time the Rock were in Peterborough, they took a 7-1 lead and were ahead well into the third period before the Lakers came back to win 14-13. This time, it was the Lakers who jumped out to an early lead. Peterborough were up 3-0 when Pete Rennie took a checking from behind double minor at 15:40 of the first. What looked like a chance for Oakville to bet back into the game instead turned into a 5-0 first period lead for Peterborough when Mark Steenhuis and John Grant, Jr. connected for shorthanded goals.

Oakville got on a bit of a roll opening the second, scoring 3 of the period's first 4 goals including a pair from AJ Masson just 12 seconds apart in the first two minutes. The Lakers then took control, though, scoring 4 goals in 1:36. Josh Gillam gathered in a rebound of a Grant shot off the back boards and tucked it home for the first goal at 10:09. Shawn Evans took a long pass from Tyler Carlson and found the back of the net behind Tye Belanger exactly a minute later. Jordan MacIntosh—who won 17 of the 20 faceoffs he took—gained possession of the ball after a scramble off the following draw and threaded a perfect 80-foot pass to Steenhuis for the third goal. MacIntosh and Steenhuis then combined to set up Evans' second goal of the run 23 seconds after that.

Redmen overcome third-period deficit to earn 13-10 overtime win over Kodiaks

Shawn Williams led the Redmen with 7 points

in their overtime win over the Kodiaks.

(File photo: Tim Prothero)

The Brooklin Redmen's recent trade acquisition paid immediate dividends Wednesday night. Kyle Aquin, suiting up in his first game for Brooklin since coming over from the Oakville Rock in a deal just before the trading deadline, scored the goal that tied the game and forced overtime then completed a natural hat trick by netting the first two goals of a 4-1 overtime that gave the Redmen a 13-10 Major Series Lacrosse win over the Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks.

Aquin had a slow start to the night, not doing anything particularly notable for the first two periods, but started to feel more comfortable as the game went on. “I came a little nervous,” Aquin said after the game. “It's good when you have leaders like [Shawn Williams] and [Derek] Hopcroft and what not constantly talking you through it, so I kind of got it together there in the third and overtime and it worked out.” That's a bit of an understatement, as Aquin suddenly seemed to find open seams in the KW defence and exploited them.

“I think in the first couple of periods I just tried to read and adjust to what the other guys were doing. Later in the game I kind of felt what they were doing so I could react off of that and then eventually things came together,” Aquin said.