Chiefs Take Game 7 Despite Bellies Surge

Game Seven of the Mann Cup at Queen’s Park Arena felt less like a single contest and more like a reflection of two proud lacrosse traditions colliding, with the Six Nations Chiefs and the New Westminster Salmonbellies battling not just for a trophy, but for history. In the end, the Chiefs showed the depth, balance, and poise that have fuelled their  three-peat, closing out the series with a decisive win and capturing their ninth Mann Cup. Yet even in defeat, the Salmonbellies wrote a story of grit, resilience, and community pride that will be remembered long after the score is forgotten.

Six Nations wasted no time gaining momentum, as Lyle Thompson opened the scoring just 1:39 into the game, a sign of the dominance he would display all night. By the end of the first period, the Chiefs had surged ahead 5–1, thanks in part to Ryan Smith, who scored twice and cemented his place as series MVP, claiming the Mike Kelly Trophy. Thompson’s two goals in the frame—each punctuated by his relentless effort on loose balls and unrelenting defensive pressure—set the tone, while Ian MacKay added another. New Westminster’s lone bright spot came when Noah Armitage answered early with a booming shot at 3:37, but the Salmonbellies struggled to generate momentum against the Chiefs’ relentless pace.

If the first period belonged to Six Nations, the second was a testament to New Westminster’s heart. Roaring out of the dressing room, the Salmonbellies fed off the energy of a sold-out Queen’s Park crowd, who seemed to lift their team with every possession. Haiden Dickson sparked the run off a dazzling Armitage feed, and though Kasen Tarbell briefly restored a cushion for the Chiefs, the Bellies refused to be deterred. Tye Kurtz, Marcus Klarich, Ryan Martel, and Mitch Jones all found the back of the net in a whirlwind stretch that left the arena trembling. When Jones scored just 1:16 into the third to tie the game at 7–7, the noise was deafening and belief surged through the red, white and blue crowd.

But at a time when the next goal most mattered, it was Six Nations who responded. Just 29 seconds after the tie, Dhane Smith buried a goal and punctuated it by turning to the goalie-chirping section of the stands, a moment that seemed to ignite his teammates. MacKay followed with his second, Thompson completed his hat trick, and Brendan Bomberry added another to restore the Chiefs’ control. Tyson Bell later capitalized on an empty net, pushing the lead to 11–6 with just over three minutes to play. Even as Armitage struck again on a slick feed from Tyler Pace, the Chiefs were too composed, and Smith capped off his stellar seven-point night by sealing the scoring and the series.

Marcus Klarich earned WLA Player of the Game honours for his efforts, while Thompson claimed the MSL Player of the Game, but the real headline for New Westminster was the way the team and its city stood together. The Bellies battled until the last whistle, never conceding their fight even when the gap widened late. Scigliano, who had carried the crease throughout the tournament, finished the series with a 9.48 goals-against average and an 81.5 save percentage, while Jamieson, who stopped 83.7 percent in the finale, proved why the Chiefs put their faith in him as their lone starter down the stretch.

Armitage led New Westminster in scoring on the night with two goals and two assists, supported by Jones, Kurtz, and Pace, while Dickson, Klarich, and Martel each added one. On the other side, Six Nations spread the load with Dhane Smith’s two goals and five assists, Thompson’s three and three, and key contributions from MacKay, Ryan Smith, Bomberry, Tarbell, Bell, and Shayne Jackson, who notched four helpers.

But statistics tell only part of the story. What will endure is the sight of a community pouring itself into its team. Game Seven tickets sold out in a record 46 minutes, most within the first four, and by early afternoon fans were already lining up outside Queen’s Park for a 7 p.m. face-off. For the seventh time in the series, the building was packed, filled with chants, drums, and a sea of red, white and blue that willed the Salmonbellies back into the game when the odds seemed stacked against them. Despite their loss, the Salmonbellies honoured their community, their fans, and the many sponsors and supporters who make Salmonbellies lacrosse possible and have done so for 137 years. The series demonstrated why Salmonbellies lacrosse is about more than wins and losses. It is about pride, tradition, and the way a team can make a community feel like part of something bigger.