Minto Cup Hit’s The Hardwood

The Minto Cup emblematic of National Junior A Lacrosse is set to hit the hardwood this Saturday (August 20^th) at the Langley Event Centre with two games each day.

The local representatives and league Champion Delta Islanders and the runner-up Coquitlam Adanac’s who finished in an exciting three game series with Delta upsetting Coquitlam for the Championship.

Coquitlam went a perfect 21-0 league play with 42 points scoring 278 goals while allowing just 118 against, which was followed an impressive four game sweep of the Port Coquitlam Saints advancing against the Delta Islanders.

Delta faced the New West Salmonbellies in a seven series that saw Delta eliminate New West in six games to advance to the BCJALL final against the high flying Adanac’s.

This series would either be a rough and tumble series or a duel between both “tenders” with Coquitlam’s Christian Del Bianco facing Islanders Kevin Orleman, which would be an exciting series from the opening draw.

The Delta Islanders are the BC Junior A Lacrosse Champions for the first time in franchise history after a long rebuild.

Delta finished with a 15-6 record scoring 266 goals, allowing 219 against finishing with 30 points; 12 back of the Adanac’s.

It should be noted that in the final series the Islanders were forced to re-locate to play in North Delta at the Sungod Arena due to the ice being put in for the Vancouver Giants minor camp, which is followed by the Giants main rookie camp.

The three game series saw Delta stun Coquitlam 9-6 in the home opener only to see the Adanac’s win game 2 winning in spectacular fashion in overtime 11-10 to even the series.

With the league championship on the line both team’s battle hard and it appeared the Adanacs had the upper hand leading 9-7 withy five minutes left in regulation time.

Delta battled back scoring two late goals sending the game to O/T which saw the game tied at 9-9 after the first O/T.

Coquitlam opened the scoring and it appeared Delta was on the brink of another Provincial title loss.

The never quit Islanders shocked the Adanac’s with a minute remaining in the first O/T scoring the game tying goal making it 10-10, heading to the second O/T.

Delta won the face-off taking it down floor and silenced the Adanacs crowd completing the comeback scoring 39 seconds taking the Championship title for the first time in franchise history.

In the Ontario League we see the Orangeville Northmen chased the Six Nation Arrows all year in the standings with the teams finished 1-2 in the regular season play.

Six Nations record through 20 games was 17-3, scoring 246 goals allowing 126 against managing to finish with 34 points.

The Northmen finished as runners up in the regular season with a record of 14-5-1 which was good for 29 points, scoring 197 and allowing only 165 against.

The playoffs have the teams on a collision course to see who would be the eventual league champion.

Orangeville knocked off the Kitchener Waterloo Braves in the opening round then went on to defeat the Mimico Mountaineers in round two, setting up showdown with Six Nations in the finals.

Six Nations routed the Burlington Chiefs in the first round and advancing to play St. Catharine’s Athletics managing to defeat them, allowing them to advance against the Orangeville Northmen in the a best of seven finals.

It should be noted that St. Catharine’s is the largest City in Canada’s Niagara Region and the 6^th largest urban area in Ontario, so lots of lacrosse played in the area.

The Arrows were swept in the best of seven as the Northmen swept them in four straight winning the Ontario Junior A Lacrosse title advancing them to play in the 2016 the Minto Cup.

The final team making the cut for this years Minto Cup are the Calgary Mountaineers as the Alberta Junior as champions.

In the final four for the Rocky Mountain League Calgary and the Junior Raiders finished 1-2 in the regular season play with the Raiders having a record of 4-3 through 7 games, while the Calgary Mountaineers finishing second at 3-1 in the three team league.

The Alberta finals saw the Mountaineers defeat the Raiders 4-0 winning the Alberta Junior A title advancing to the 2016 Minto Cup.

Chances are the players you see in the Minto Cup will possibly be playing in the WLA next season and possibly the NLL in a year or two.