The Whitby Warriors avoided elimination at the Minto Cup with a narrow 5-4 victory over the Coquitlam Adanacs, sending the Junior A Lacrosse Championships to a winner-take-all game three Sunday night at Okotoks Centennial Arena.
In a terrific contest, the lowest scoring and most evenly matched game of the tournament, the goalies stole the show. Whitby's Zack Higgins saved 33 of 37 shots while his Adanac counterpart Steve Fryer stopped 36 of the 41 shots he faced. Both goalies were deservedly named players of the game.
Coquitlam opened the scoring in the first period through leading scorer Casey Jackson, but Whitby's diminutive sniper Dan Lintner responded with two quick goals of his own. The Adanacs replied shortly after when Ben McIntosh notched a power-play goal. Fryer absolutely robbed Whitby's Mike Lum-Walker on a clear breakaway, but couldn't stop Emerson Clark who scored just seconds later. The Warriors held a 3-2 lead after one period.
The Adanacs carried the play to start the second period but were stymied by two acrobatic saves from Higgins. Coquitlam's persistence paid off as they tied the game with a shot from distance by Jackson Decker at the 6:31 mark. The Warriors called a timeout late in the second period and Whitby's Curtis Knight managed to sneak a vital goal by Fryer with just 4 seconds left in the frame to give the Warriors a 4-3 lead.
The Adanacs struggled through the tight checking of the Warriors in the third period. With less than five minutes to go, Jackson tied the game 4-4 with a wicked shot from the left point on the power play. But Whitby would not be denied the victory. Mark Matthews answered right back for the Warriors, scoring the game winner just 1:14 later.
The Warriors and Adanacs are back in action Aug. 28 at 8 p.m. with the winner taking home the 2011 Minto Cup.
