The Maple Ridge Burrards took a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven WLA championship series, after defeating the Victoria Shamrocks 8-7 in overtime on Thursday night.
It was again Ben McIntosh giving his team a big early lead, as the feared shooter scored three times in the first period and again three minutes into the second, and staked his Burrards to a 5-0 lead.
It was a similar script to game three, where McIntosh had a natural hat trick in the first period, and his team held on to win the game.
Thursday the Burrards took five minor penalties in the second period, and with them spending half the period shorthanded Victoria got back in the game, scoring two power play goals and four in the frame. Their onslaught continued into the third period, and the game went into overtime, knotted at 6-6.
It was McIntosh, who had the first word in the game, also getting the last say, as he scored the game winner in overtime and was named the game’s first star.
He finished with five goals and an assist on 12 shots. Curtis Dickson, Riley Loewen and Jean-Luc Chetner each scored singles for the Burrards.
Mike Mallory and Dan Taylor each had three assists, and Mitch McDole had two.
The Burrards were outshot 57-44 in the game, but Frank Scigliano, voted the league’s outstanding goaltender last week, made a whopping 50 saves.
That could be the final home game of the season for the Burrards. They will have a chance to put the series away on Saturday, as they travel to Vancouver Island for game five at the Q Centre.
Game six, if necessary, would be played back in Maple Ridge on Monday night, 6:30 p.m. at Cam Neely Arena.
The winner will advance to the Mann Cup national senior A lacrosse championship series, to be held in Ontario. The Major Series Lacrosse championship is being played between the Peterborough Lakers and Oakville Rock, and is tied at 1-1.