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Comeback kids three up on Coquitlam
By Tom Berridge, Burnaby Now sports
It was a win for the record books.
The Burnaby Lakers took a two-games-to-none lead on the Coquitlam Adanacs in dramatic fashion, winning their Western Lacrosse Association semifinal 11-10 in what many were saying was the franchise's crowning comeback ever.
Down 6-1 just past the midway mark of the opening period, Burnaby chipped away at the lead in the second and third periods, before mounting an all-out assault in the final three minutes, scoring four times, including third star Kevin Fines' game-winner with just four ticks left on the clock.
Fines, who started the final onslaught with his first of the game with the goalie out for an extra attacker, closed the gap to 10-8 at 16:49 of the final period.
Rookie righthander Kevin Olson quickly made it a one-goal game, scoring off the ensuing faceoff.
Cam Sedgwick then tied the score half a minute later, taking a pass from second star Spencer Martin and, using a screen, fired the ball by a stunned Chris Levis at 17:36.
Curtis Palidwor, who was nearly unbeatable for Burnaby in the final two periods, stopped Jason Wulder point-blank in the dying minutes to breathe further life to the Laker comeback.
Fines completed the comeback on a set play, coming off a screen and stretching to gather in the ball, one-timed a shot to the far post past Levis.
"It was a good comeback. It was one of those nights we didn't have everything, but we withstood the stress and kept battling. Even at 10-7, we didn't panic," said Burnaby co-coach Russ Heard.
The comeback included Burnaby outscoring Coquitlam 9-4 over the final two periods, with Palidwor at his best, stopping 43 shots, including 17 of 19 in the middle frame.
Veterans Ian Paterson and Darren McEwen led the Lakers on the scoresheet. Paterson scored two goals and three assists, while McEwen added a goal and three helpers.
Coquitlam ace Tracey Kelusky was held to a single assist by the Burnaby defence.
"Yep, we were confident we could do it. We knew we could do it the whole game," said Martin, who had three assists in the game, including those on Olson's and Sedgwick's game-tying markers. "We had a slow start, but we knew we could do it one goal at a time."
How much those second-half goals took out of a veteran Adanac squad is anybody's guess, but it was plain what the comeback did for the younger Lakers.
"Curtis (Palidwor) played great for us as he always does and we depend on that. We kept our heads up and battled back, and we kept our eye on the goal. That's what we have to do," Martin added.
On Monday, Burnaby took a 3-0 stranglehold on the series following a 12-7 win at home.
Fines, Saturday's hero, had a six-point outing, including a hat trick in an eight-goal turnaround second period. Olson also chipped in with a pair of goals and four helpers.
"We're a confident group and we're growing in confidence," said defender Andrew Guindon. "But we can't get too confident and we're not. We got the fourth (game) to win."
Game 4 is in Coquitlam Thursday. Game time is 7:45 p.m.
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