Lakers Season Ends as Chiefs Capture Fourth Straight MSL Championship
/By Scott Arnold
The Peterborough Century 21 Lakers’ season came to an end Sunday night with a 10-3 loss to the Six Nations Chiefs, who captured their fourth straight Everett Coates Trophy as Major Series Lacrosse champions.
The 2026 Peterborough Century 21 Lakers came up one win short of the MSL championship, finishing their season as league finalists. (photo courtesy of peterborough lakers via david pickering)
The Lakers entered Game 6 at the Peterborough Memorial Centre needing a win to force a seventh and deciding game, but the Chiefs built an early lead and held off every attempt to get back into the game.
Dhane Smith opened the scoring for Six Nations before Ian MacKay scored twice to put the Chiefs up 3-0. Chris Cloutier then made it 4-0 before Rob Hellyer got Peterborough on the board, scoring off a Ryan Lanchbury pass with 4:40 left in the opening period. Shayne Jackson restored the Chiefs’ four-goal lead with 48 seconds left, sending Six Nations into the second with a 5-1 advantage.
The Lakers needed a strong start to the second and got it from Braedon Saris, who scored on the power play just under four minutes in to cut the deficit to three. It was over 11 minutes until the games next goal, with Andrew Kew scoring for Six Nations to make it a 6-2 game. The Chiefs would strike again with 29 seconds left in the period but the Lakers would respond shortly after as Brad McCulley scored with just three seconds remaining, cutting the Chiefs’ lead to 7-3 heading into the third.
It was all Chiefs in the third with Kew opening the scoring just 2:03 into the period to restore a four-goal Six Nations lead. Ryan Smith added a power-play goal before Tyson Bell scored into an empty net with 2:50 remaining, putting the game out of reach and securing the championship for the Chiefs with a final score of 10-3.
Doug Jamieson made 38 saves for Six Nations, while Drew Hutchison made 55 saves for Peterborough in the loss. Nick Rose was anticipated to get the start for the Lakers but he was not a hundred percent and as game time neared, the team made the call to go with Hutchison between the pipes while Deacon Knott suited up as his backup.
For Lakers captain Robert Hope, the result was disappointing, but he said the team could still be proud of what it accomplished.
“I'm proud of our group,” Hope said after the game. “But again, coming up short is disappointing.”
Hope also pointed to the mistakes that proved costly against a Six Nations team that was able to capitalize on its opportunities.
“I just thought we made too many mistakes and they capitalized on theirs,” he said.
Despite the disappointment, Hope made sure to recognize the fans who stayed to salute the team following the final buzzer. He called Peterborough’s supporters “the greatest fans in lacrosse in the summer” and said their support remains a huge part of the Lakers’ tradition.
“It’s so important that we have that community support and it continues on,” Hope said.
Six Nations Chiefs goaltender Doug Jamieson is presented with the Johnny “Shooter” Davis Award by Johnny Davis Jr. after being named the MSL playoff MVP. (photo courtesy of MAjor Series Lacrosse via gary groob)
The championship was especially significant for Six Nations goalie Jamieson, who was named the Johnny “Shooter” Davis Award winner as the MSL playoff MVP after helping lead the Chiefs to their fourth consecutive title.
Jamieson, who was in net for all four wins in the series, said he knew Game 6 would require a strong effort after a series in which both teams had protected home floor.
“It was such a tight series,” Jamieson said. “Peterborough played great. Each team was winning at home, so we knew it was going to take a good effort tonight to come here and get it done.”
The Chiefs had been rotating Jamieson and Warren Hill every game but decided to put Jamieson in net on Sunday for his second straight start. Jamieson said he didn’t find out he would be starting until he arrived at the arena. “Usually I like to get a little more heads up” Jamieson joked after the game.
When asked about the goaltending rotation, Jamieson said he appreciated the approach and the trust between him and Hill. “Warren's been great all year. I just appreciate the dynamic we have and getting to only play every other game”.
Jamieson said the Tyson Bell empty net goal gave the team some breathing room late in the game and that’s when he started to taste the smell of victory. “I think when Tyson got that empty netter, it’s kind of like, okay, maybe we got it.”
For the Chiefs, the fourth straight Everett Coates Trophy, and 10th all-time, adds another chapter to what has become one of the league’s most familiar championship rivalries. Six Nations will now turn its attention to the Mann Cup, where the Chiefs will host the WLA champion Coquitlam Adanacs beginning September 11th for the Canadian championship.
The Six Nations Chiefs celebrate their fourth straight Everett Coates Trophy after defeating the Lakers in Game 6 of the MSL final. (photo coutesy of major series lacrosse via gary groob)
