The Nanaimo Timbermen won’t get a chance to play for a Mann Cup this summer.
The T-men were defeated by the Langley Thunder by an 11-5 score in Game 5 of the Western Lacrosse Association finals on the mainland Saturday, Aug. 27, and have been eliminated from the playoffs.
After the Timbermen won Game 4 in Nanaimo on Thursday, Aug. 25, to extend the series, the Thunder were strong on their home floor at the Langley Events Centre. Eight straight goals by the home team in the first and second periods essentially put the game out of reach.
“Nanaimo gave us a good fight. They are fast, they are young, and they move the ball well,” said Dane Dobbie, who was named playoff MVP, in a press release.
He said his team knew it didn’t play well in Game 4 and wanted to better establish its game and play with intensity from the opening faceoff in Game 5.
“Travelling over to the Island for two straight series wears on you. This was a big one for us, we knew going back there was going to be a lot tougher, so we really wanted to put the pedal down tonight,” Dobbie said.
He was first star in the clinching game with two goals and two assists, Curtis Dickson had four goals and Chase Scanlan and Connor Robinson scored twice each. Frank Scigliano made 44 saves.
For Nanaimo, Colton Lidstone scored a goal to go with three assists and other scorers were Coady Adamson, Jon Phillips, Taggart Clark and Evan Messenger. Devlin Shanahan and Charles Claxton split time in the crease.
The Thunder will play either the Peterborough Lakers or the Six Nations Chiefs in the Mann Cup championship series in Eastern Canada beginning Sept. 9.
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