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| Johnny Powless scored a pair of critical third-period goals to help Six Nations beat Peterborough. (Photo: Tim Prothero) |
Playing without their scoring leader
Shawn Evans made an obvious difference to the Peterborough
Lakers, but the Six Nations Chiefs were full value for their 12-8 win
in a showdown for first place in Major Series Lacrosse Thursday.
Ryan Benesch scored 5 goals and
Johnny Powless had a hat trick and 2 assists as the Chiefs
took over top spot with a 6-1 record while the Lakers fell to 5-1.
Benesch and Six Nations' Dhane Smith now lead the league with
33 points each. Curtis Dickson is third with 28 after scoring
2 goals and 3 assists in the loss.
Dickson scored as pretty a goal as
you'll see late in the second period. Ragging the ball shorthanded,
he ran towards the top of the crease. With a defender above him in
the slot, one ahead of him and one on his back, Dickson threw on the
brakes with is back to goalie Dillon Ward. He took a quick
look around, dropped his stick by his side in just his right hand and
flung the ball backwards. It streaked past Ward's arm and into the
far top corner of the net.
As beautiful as Dickson's goal was,
though, it was a pair by Powless—including a behind the back
bouncer from the low slot that snuck through Matt Vinc's legs—in
the third that put the Chiefs in control. Six Nations led 8-6 after
two periods but the Lakers were pressing to get back into it. Powless
connected at 7:20 and again at 9:02 to extend the lead to four and
make it just too hard for Peterborough to come back against the stout
Chiefs' defence and solid goaltending of Ward.
“My defence in front of me is huge. I
was told I made 40 saves but a lot of them were from the outside. All
the credit to my defence, they're making my job a lot easier,” Ward
said, while conceding that he did play well. “When they did get
inside I made a couple of big saves here and there. I thought
everyone in the back end did their job and allowed the offence to
take care of the ball.”
From his post between the pipes, Ward
gets a great view of the potent Six Nations' offence and he admires
it as much as anyone. “Watching our offence work the ball is
incredible. It's never in a stick for more than two seconds, it's
always bouncing around. Those guys are unbelievable up there.”
At the other end of the floor, the
Lakers were noticeably less effective at creating scoring chances
without Evans in the lineup as he rested a sore knee.
“It's been a while since I played
without him. Like I've said before he's the best player in the world
right now and obviously it's a big loss to this team,” Dickson
said. “Hopefully we get him back soon but we can't use that as an
excuse. We've still got a lot of firepower up on offence. We've got
to be able to move the ball and put the ball in the back of the net.
That one's on us tonight.”
Dickson noted that the ball wasn't hot
enough for the offence to be effective but hoped the Lakers will
learn from that as the season progresses. “We've got to keep
moving, sharing the ball and get their defence spread. Unfortunately,
I don't think we got that done tonight but it's still early,” he
said.
Brad Self chipped in 2 goals and
2 assists for the Lakers and Scott Evans, drawing into the
lineup for the second straight game, had an assist and a pair of
goals including one hard outside shot that knocked Ward's glove right
off his hand on its way to the net.
Six Nations 12, Peterborough 8
Box score
Box score
