The Victoria Shamrocks looked to have one sneaker already in the Western Lacrosse Association final.
But the top-seed Burnaby Lakers scored six unanswered goals on their home Bill Copeland Arena floor Friday night to rally for an 8-6 victory to save their season and stave off elimination.
The fourth-seed Shamrocks now lead the best-of-seven WLA semifinal playoff series 3-2. Game six goes at The Q Centre on Sunday at 6 p.m.
Victoria led 6-2 with less than seven minutes remaining in the second period.
A goal late in the third period by Robert Church, the explosive NLL pro and former Drexel NCAA star, was huge for Burnaby. But Victoria still went into the second break leading 6-3, yet could not stem the five unanswered Burnaby goals in the third period. Nor could they get another goal for themselves.
鈥淲e took our foot off the gas pedal and started playing conservatively . . . and Burnaby kept coming and found a way to get goals by us,鈥� said Shamrocks head coach Bob Heyes.
The collapse at Copeland is sure to test the character of this Shamrocks team. How it responds, especially emotionally, to the crushing turn of events Friday will decide the series.
鈥淚t came down to mindset and the mental aspect of the game,鈥� said Heyes.
鈥淟esson learned.鈥�
League scoring-champion Corey Small and Steve Priolo, the latter short-handed, gave Victoria a 2-0 lead with three minutes left in the first period. Burnaby has been dangerous late in periods and was again with a Dane Stevens goal before the first period ended.
After the Lakers tied it 2-2, Victoria went on a four-consecutive goal spree in the second period through tallies by Small, Evan Messenger, Casey Jackson and Joe Resetarits.
The WLA final seemed to be beckoning. But it turned out to be a mirage.
鈥淏urnaby kept fighting and they shut us down in the third period,鈥� said Heyes, whose club must now find an answer.
Scott Jones scored three goals for Burnaby, while Church added two goals and three assists.
Aaron Bold, who has been a factor in the series, made 35 saves in goal for Victoria and Eric Penney 26 for the Lakers.
The three stars were Church, Jones and Bold.
Game 7, if needed, is Tuesday night in Burnaby.
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