Deacon Knott Steals the Show as Lakers Light Up Memorial Centre in Breakout Win Over Brampton
/By Scott Arnold
The Peterborough Lakers erupted for 16 goals Thursday night while a hometown goalie lived out a lifelong dream in his first MSL start.
lakers captain robert hope during the ceremonial face-off (photo courtesy of david pickering)
The Peterborough Century 21 Lakers picked up their first win of the 2026 Major Series Lacrosse season with a dominant 16-6 victory over the Brampton Excelsiors at the Peterborough Memorial Centre.
Justin Sykes and Taite Cattoni led the offensive attack with three goals each, while rookie goaltender Deacan Knott made 34 saves in his first career MSL start.
deacon knott was all smiles after picking up his first win (photo courtesy of david pickering)
Knott said wearing a Lakers jersey and getting the start was something he had dreamed about since he first picked up a lacrosse stick as a kid.
curve lake’s deacon knott made first msl start in goal for lakers (photo courtesy of david pickering
The Lakers opened the scoring on a power-play goal from Braedon Saris before Taite Cattoni struck just 13 seconds later. Sykes added a highlight-reel finish off a behind-the-back pass from Holden Cattoni, while Adam Thistlethwaite scored his first of the season during a strong opening frame that ended with Peterborough leading 7-2.
Rob Hellyer’s late first-period goal proved to be the game winner.
Peterborough kept rolling in the second period as Taite Cattoni, Adam Jay and Jr. A call-up Mason Cree all scored. Cree’s marker was his first career MSL goal.
The Lakers eventually built a 15-3 lead before Brampton added a late push with three straight goals, including two on the power play.
Peterborough outshot Brampton 51-40, while Jake Withers dominated at the faceoff dot by winning 20 of 25 draws.
A crowd of 2,602 took in the game, including roughly 400 members of the Peterborough Minor Lacrosse Association who joined the Lakers on the floor during the national anthem.
close to 400 kids from the pmla attending thursday’s lakers game (photo courtesy of david pickering)
