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Maple Ridge Burrards need to get ‘nasty’ for wins

Maple Ridge lacrosse team lost the season opener to the Burnaby Lakers
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Help is on the way.

That’s the message from Maple Ridge Burrards head coach Daren Fridge as his team dropped its third straight game to open the WLA season, losing 9-6 to the Burnaby Lakers Sunday night at Planet Ice.

Twice the Burrards fought off two-goal deficits, taking a 6-5 lead with just more than eight minutes left in the game. But the Lakers roared back with four straight goals  to close out the victory.

“It’s like taking on an AK-47 with a pistol,” noted Fridge, talking about his lack of offense. “You need to score at least 10 goals to win games in this league and right now we don’t have the scoring.”

Fridge said the team is missing some key players, most notably Curtis Dickson, who has been out all season nursing an injury sustained while playing in the NLL. He said the recent return of Jared Davis is a welcome addition and hopes the offense can gain some momentum.

He’s also looking for an improved power play, currently firing at about an eight per cent success rate.

The Burrards fell behind 2-0 midway through the first period before scoring two goals 1:21 apart to tie the game midway through the frame.

The Burrards dominated the shot clock in the second, outshooting the Lakers 17-9, but tallied 4-3 heading into the third.

The Burrards carried that momentum to a 6-5 lead late in the period. However, Burnaby tied the game with 4:25 left  and the collapse was complete as the Lakers scored three straight, in the final three minutes of the game.

“It was a frustrating loss, being that close,” said Fridge.

“Sure we might not be the most talented team, but we had a one-goal lead and then we took our foot off the gas. It’s a game we gave away.”

The home loss comes on the heels of an 8-4 loss to the Victoria Shamrocks Friday night on Vancouver Island.

The Burrards opened the scoring 3:35 into the game on a goal by Mitchell Bannister and had a chance to extend their lead on the power play a couple of minutes later, but gave up a short-handed goal 7:29 into the opening period. It ended with the Shamrocks holding a 3-2 lead.

Maple Ridge scored two quick goals to open the second, as Derek Lowe found the back of the net 23 seconds into the frame, followed by Simon Giourmetakis at the 5:25 mark.

Unfortunately for the Burrards, it was the last time the red light would come on. They gave up five straight goals and find themselves 0-3 on the season.

Fridge said they are going to have to have a  playoff-like attitude when they take on the Salmonbellies Thursday, May 31 at 7:45 p.m. in New Westminster.

Fridge said the game will be a test of his team’s mettle.

“We have to match their intensity from the back-end out. Right now, we’re not nasty enough.”