Kodiaks open MSL season with 12-5 win over Chiefs

Joey Cupido, here against Peterborough, had a hat trick to lead KW to a 12-5
win over Six Nations in the MSL season opener. (Photo: TimPprothero)

The Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks used a 6-0 third period to run away from the Six Nations Chiefs and beat the two-time defending Mann Cup champs 12-5 in the first game of the 2015 Major Series Lacrosse season Tuesday. 

Joey Cupido led the third-period charge with a hat trick. Cupido added an assist while Ryan Benesch and Tom Masterson each had a goal and 3 assists in the game for KW. Randy Staats was the top gunner for Six Nations with 3 goals. Davide DiRuscio stopped 41 of 46 shots to earn the win in goal.

Six Nations was missing a number of regular players who either are still in the NLL playoffs or just finished their NLL seasons on Saturday. They did, though, have Dhane Smith, Kedoh Hill and Johnny Powless, but KW limited the potent trio to a single assist each. 

The season continues Wednesday night when the Oakville Rock and Brooklin Redmen play their first games of the season at the Iroquois Park Sports Centre in Whitby at 8pm. Brooklin is the defending regular season champion while Oakville has turned over about half its lineup in a bid to compete with the top teams in the league this summer.