Fan Support Needed Tonight as Jr. C Lakers Look to Keep Meredith Cup Hopes Alive

By Scott Arnold

The Peterborough Jr. C Lakers return to Healthy Planet Arena tonight with their season on the line and their pursuit of a third straight Meredith Cup championship hanging in the balance.

the Peterborough Jr. C Lakers return to Healthy Planet Arena on Friday night needing a win over the Six Nations Stealth to force a deciding Game 5 in the Meredith Cup Final. (Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Jr. C Lakers)

The Lakers trail the Six Nations Stealth 2-1 in the best-of-five Meredith Cup Final after Six Nations took Game 3 by a 9-7 score Wednesday night.

That leaves Peterborough needing a win tonight at 8pm to keep the championship series alive.

And regardless of the outcome, it will be the Lakers' final home game of the season.

A win would send the series back to Six Nations for a deciding Game 5 on Sunday at 6pm. A loss would give the Stealth the Meredith Cup and bring the Lakers' championship run to an end.

One More Game at Home

For a team that has received plenty of support throughout its playoff run, tonight offers one final opportunity for Peterborough fans to see the Lakers at Healthy Planet Arena this season.

The Lakers have already played nine playoff games, going through Huntsville, Whitby and Cornwall before reaching the Meredith Cup Final for the third straight year. They then split the first two games of the final with Six Nations before Wednesday's Game 3 loss.

The series has been close throughout. Peterborough won Game 2 at home 9-6 after dropping Game 1 in Six Nations, and Wednesday's game was a seven-goal night for the Lakers, who held leads during the contest before Six Nations pulled away late.

A Chance to Keep the Chase Alive

The Lakers came into the season looking to defend their Meredith Cup championship and become just the second team in the Meredith Cup era to win three championships in a row.

They have already secured another trip to the final. Now, they need to find a way to extend it.

Head coach Ryley Martinell has used that phrase throughout the season: find a way.

It has become the theme of a playoff run that has included tight games, comebacks and one-goal decisions. Tonight, that message takes on even more importance.

The Lakers need one more win in Peterborough to force the series back to Six Nations for Sunday night's deciding game.

For the players, coaches and fans, tonight is the final chance to keep the championship run going on home floor.

Game time is 8pm at Healthy Planet Arena.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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