The Okotoks Raiders proved they can compete with the best Ontario has to offer.
The Raiders were eliminated from the Minto Cup when they were beaten 8-4 by the Ontario Junior A Lacrosse champions, the Whitby Warriors, in the semifinal game Aug. 24 at Centennial Arena.
Whitby didn't put the game away until they scored a pair of goals in the final six minutes of the game – the second one into an empty net with 44 seconds left to make the final 8-4.
Warriors coach Derek Keenan said the Raiders gave them a scare.
“ I thought they were awesome.” Keenan said of the Raiders. “ Tonight they played like they wanted it a lot more than we did. They were good.”
The Raiders held a 3-2 lead 10 minutes into the game on goals by Dustin Reykal, Chad Mitchell and Cody McMahon.
Whitby would tie the game at 3-3 when Curtis Knight scored with 9:50 left in the first period. The Warriors would take the lead for good 21 seconds later on an unassisted goal by Mark Matthews as Whitby took a 4-3 lead after 20 minutes into the dressing room.
The Warriors would extend their lead to 6-4 after two periods. Holden Cattoni scored the lone goal for the Raiders in the second period. That would be as close as Okotoks would get as the Warriors put the game away with the two late third-period goals to make the final 8-4.
An Alberta team still has not ever beaten a team from outside the Wildrose province in the Minto Cup. However, Keenan said the Raiders could compete in Ontario.
“ They would be a solid playoff team,” Keenan said. “ Especially with the work-ethic they bring. They have enough skill guys to execute. Their goalie was really good too.”
Raiders goalie Adam Shute stopped 55 of the 62 shots he faced.
Okotoks coach Bruce Codd was proud of his team's effort against the Ontario champions.
“ We had a bunch of guys tonight who probably had their best games of their lives tonight and it showed,” Codd said. “ It was 6-4 for the longest time. If we could have gotten that fifth one, I think maybe it changes things.”
The Warriors will now play the Coquitlam Adanacs in a best of three games final to decide Canada's national Junior A championship at the Centennial Arena.
Game 1 is Friday at 8 p.m. with Game 2 to go Saturday at 8 p.m.
If a third game is needed it will go Sunday at 8 p.m.
Coquitlam beat the Warriors 14-8 on Aug. 21 in the round robin.
