The Maple Ridge Burrards swept the New Westminster Salmonbellies on Wednesday, advancing to the second round of the WLA playoffs and avenging last year’s first-round loss with a 10-7 win at Cam Neely Arena.
Ridge led 2-1 after the first period, then 8-6 after the second, and outscored New West 2-1 in the third, despite being outshot 52-36 overall.
That is a sweep of round 1! Your Burrards now wait for their next opponent! Let’s go boys! LETS GO BURRARDS!!! Great crowd tonight in Cam Neely as well! @WLALacrosse @RMBurrards @YourMapleRidge @MapleRidgeNews Pic cred to Paul Evans Photography pic.twitter.com/MKW1SbKbRq
— Maple Ridge Burrards (@Burrardslax) August 9, 2018
Riley Loewen led the Burrards with three goals, while Ben McIntosh had two goals and four assists. Curtis Dickson added a goal and two assists. Zack Porter, Colton Porter, Aaron Davis and Dan Taylor also scored, while Frank Scigliano made 45 saves for the win.
The Burrards fell to the New Westminster Salmonbellies in sudden death in overtime in Game 7 in the first round last year after leading the series 3-1.
This year, however, New West is without Kevin Crowley, while the Burrards have added Dickson, and others.
The Burrards also limited New West, which finished first in the regular season, to 27 goals in the four games, while netting 46.
The Burrards won the playoff opener 13-5. They won the second game 11-5, then took a three-game lead Monday with a 12-10 overtime win.
After the latter, Burrards general manager Lance Andre called Dickson the “best player in the world.”
He had 12 goals and 22 points in the four game and leads the WLA in playoff scoring. McIntosh had 10 goals and 19 points, while Loewen and Taylor had 17 and 15 points, respectively.
Andre said prior to Game 4 that having Dickson and McIntosh on the left side for the powerplay opens up opportunities on the right for Taylor and Loewen.
“You have to respect everyone on the powerplay.”
He also said the team’s defense is playing like the best in Canada, keeping shots to the outside and letting Scigliano see them.
“Our defense is playing dynamite right now.”
In the other first-round match-up, Victoria leads Nanaimo 3-1.