LANGLEY, B.C. – Alex Turner scored three goals and added three assists as the Langley Thunder whipped the Brampton Excelsiors 11-3 in the opening game of the Mann Cup Senior A lacrosse national championship Wednesday night.
Kyle McEwen, Athan Iannucci and Rob Van Beek added two goals each for Langley. Andrew Potter, with the winning goal that, and Jamie Lincoln also scored for the Thunder, who led 4-3 and 7-3 by periods.
Despite a shaky start, Thunder goaltender Brodie MacDonald, a 21-year-old rookie who stands six-foot-seven and weighs 255 pounds, was unbeatable. He did not allow a goal after the 6:35 mark of the first period and recorded 28 saves as Langley outshot Brampton 45-31.
Zack Greer paced Brampton with two goals while Dave Campbell also scored for the Ontario champions.
The Excelsiors are seeking their third Mann Cup crown in four years. Brampton last won the Mann Cup in nearby New Westminster, B.C. in 2009. Langley, once a perennial doormat, is chasing its first Canadian crown.
The Thunder is the first club other than powerhouses New Westminster and Coquitlam, B.C., to represent the West since the Vancouver Burrards in 1990.
Brampton and Langley both finished in third place in their respective regular-season standings but upset defending league champions to reach the Canadian finals. The Excelsiors surprised the 2010 Mann Cup-champion Peterborough Lakers while Langley upset the New Westminster Salmonbellies, who had represented the West the past three years.
Brampton played without sniper Dan Dawson, a firefighter, and top goaltender Anthony Cosmo, a teacher, who stayed home due to work commitments.
The Excelsiors took an early 2-0 lead, but the Thunder roared back to tie and only trailed once more, 3-2, before taking the lead for good. Potter scored on the power play – after Brampton was called for too many men on the floor – to give the hosts a 4-3 lead that stood up at the end of the first period.
Langley then scored three unanswered goals in the second period never looked back.
Game 2 will be held Thursday night in Langley.
Local news from metronews.ca/vancouver
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