Rock dump Lakers 12-5 for first playoff win

Mitch De Snoo helped lead the Oakville Rock's strong defensive performance as they downed the Peterborough Lakers 12-5 in Game 3 of the MSL semifinals series. (Photo: Dave Fryer)

The Oakville Rock earned a playoff spot for the first time in the franchise's history this year. Now they've won their first playoff game and they did it in dominating fashion. Coming into Saturday night's game trailing their Major Series Lacrosse semifinal 2-0, the Rock dumped the Peterborough Lakers 12-5 behind a seven-goal first period and a 39-save performance by Nick Rose.

While Rose was sharp from the opening faceoff, at the other end of the floor the Rock were finding holes in Matt Vinc early and often. Dan Lomas opened the scoring with his first of 4 goals in the game and Oakville was up 4-0 before Adam Jones was able to beat Rose with a perfect shot twelve minutes into the game. Jones would wind up with a hat trick to provide the majority of Peterborough's offence.

It was 7-2 for Oakville after one period and they stretched the lead to 9-3 in the second. Peterborough was never able to cut substantially into the margin. Jones did get back to back power play goals in the second but that would be all the scoring by the Lakers.


Lomas added an assist, Brett Hickey had 3 goals and 3 assists, Stephan Leblanc had 2 goals and 6 assists and Wes Berg 2 goals and 4 assists. It was the first time in seven meetings this year that the Rock have scored more than 8 goals against Peterborough.

Things got rough late in the game. (Photo: Dave Fryer)

Things grew chippy as the game progressed. With about five minutes left in the third period, Tim O'Brien cross-checked Curtis Dickson in the hip in Peterborough's zone, then Dickson returned the favour. After the pair walked down the floor chirping and staying close to each other, Scott Evans stepped in to engage with O'Brien, who hit Evans in the throat and face area with a forearm or shoulder, igniting a melee that saw four Lakers and two Rock players removed from the playing surface.

The Oakville win and the bad blood set the stage for an interesting Game 4 to be played Tuesday in Peterborough.