Peterborough Lakers Make Another Dramatic Comeback Finish In Overtime For 8-7 to Advance to MSL Finals

The Peterborough Lakers avoid elimination in another dramatic fashion after earning a second-straight comeback overtime victory in game seven, 8-7, over the Brooklin L.C. at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Thursday night.

Mike Robinson, Lakers Forward (middle) after scoring the walk-off game-winning goal in overtime to send the Lakers to the MSL Finals against the Six Nations Chiefs. Robinson also socred in the third period to help the Lakers rally for the comeback. Photo courtesy of David Pickering and the Peterborough Lakers.

The win punches Peterborough’s ticket to the Major Series Lacrosse finals against the two-time defending Mann Cup champion Six Nations Chiefs. Prior to game six, the Lakers were down 3-2 in the series after being defeated in three consecutive games. Peterborough had a come-from-behind overtime victory, 6-5, on Thursday night.

Both teams were evenly matched in the first period with two goals apiece. Braedon Saris and Justin Sykes scored for the Lakers.

Brooklin had a perfect period in the second. They scored three times, including two shorthanded goals, while preventing Peterborough from finding the back of the net to take a 5-2 lead headed into the third.

Peterborough opened the scoring less than a minute into the power play as game six-hero Taite Cattoni scored to bring the Lakers to within two. The visitors scored two straight goals to seemingly put the game out of reach with 11:41 left in regulation for a 7-3 lead.

The Lakers refused to go quietly as Mike Robinson scored just under four minutes later. Holden Cattoni joined the scoresheet 53 seconds later to get to a two-goal deficit. Peterborough applied a double team in the neutral zone to force a turnover. Colton Armstrong made the most of his chance and scored to bring the Lakers to within one.

The Lakers got an opportunity as the Brooklin goaltender incurred a major penalty for illegal equipment to put Peterborough on the power play. It took 18 seconds for the home team to find the back of the net as Holden sniped it from the point to tie the game and eventually go into overtime with seven goals apiece.

With just under three minutes left in the first overtime, Robinson was in the same spot Holden was when he scored and shot a laser through traffic for the game-winning score.

“It was kind of a scramble play, it feels like that’s normally how it ends in these types of games,” said Robinson. “I think Rezzy was looking inside to maybe (Carter Page) and the ball just squirted out to me up top and I just kinda let it go as quick as I could. Didn’t really pick a spot or anything and lucky enough it went in.”

“It was kinda reminiscent of our Mann Cup runs a few years ago and even when I was a kid,” said Jake Withers. “It helps a lot. We have the best home floor advantage in the league by far so to have them behind us to help fuel that comeback, it paid dividends in overtime when Mikey scored that one.”

The finals start this Sunday in Six Nations with game two in Peterborough on Tuesday. A full schedule is being released at a later time.

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