Salmonbellies Push Toward Playoffs with 13–9 Win in Bruising Battle vs. Burrards

The New Westminster Salmonbellies secured a critical two points in the Chase for First Place at Queen’s Park Arena Thursday night with a 13–9 win over the Maple Ridge Burrards. It was a game that brought the heat, both on the scoreboard and in the penalty box.

The Maple Ridge–New West rivalry has been unusually tame in the first two matchups this season, but Thursday’s tilt erupted back into familiar territory, with 94 penalty minutes assessed and tempers flaring. Maple Ridge’s Jesse Gillespie, recently acquired from Langley, was at the heart of the chaos with over one-third of the game’s penalty minutes. Four ejections and a late-game fight between Nash Moog and Mitch Jones added to a night that saw 24 penalties in total.

Despite the fireworks, the Bellies controlled the game from the outset. Brandon Goodwin opened the scoring just 1:31 in, and New West would never trail. They capitalized early, flying in transition and scoring on three of their first four power plays.

Haiden Dickson led the charge with a four-goal, two-assist performance to earn First Star honours. Mitch Jones, continuing his league-leading pace, was instrumental in distribution with a goal and four gorgeous assists, while brothers Will and Anthony Malcolm combined for three goals and three apples. Noah Armitage had a strong outing, adding a pair, and Preston Lupul was all over the floor, notching a goal and a key helper in transition.

It was a physical battle even before the PIMs started piling up, with Ben Soenen, Zac Masson, and Drew Belgrave doing the things that never show up in the box score, especially creating turnovers through big contact and forcing Maple Ridge into time count violations.

Maple Ridge’s Marcus Klarich had a strong showing with a hat trick and two assists, while Mitch Jones’ brother Ryan added a goal and three assists. The Burrards were scrappy, notching two shorthanded goals, but couldn’t overcome the Bellies’ early surge and sustained pressure.

Goaltender Justin Geddie was stellar between the pipes for New West, turning aside 44 of 53 shots and earning B&B Contracting Beast of the Game honours.

With the win, the Salmonbellies (11–4, 22 points) remain third, and are guaranteed to finish no lower than that in the final standings. The Bellies are guaranteed a place in the playoff picture, but want to climb into first place. Tonight they head to Victoria for a pivotal matchup against the first-place Shamrocks (25 points). You can watch that game on WLA TV here.

The Bellies wrap their regular season with a home-and-home against the Langley Thunder next week (Wednesday at the Langley Events Centre, then Thursday at QPA), and the playoff seedings could come down to the wire. With the Thunder just two points out of the fourth and final playoff spot, fans can expect those games to be as spicy as last night’s. The Bellies need every point to have a realistic shot at first place in the WLA so it’s all-gas-no-brakes from this point forward. It’s going to be must-see lacrosse!

If you have sponsor tickets left, you’ll need to use them next Thursday—they aren’t valid for playoffs. To buy tickets for our final regular season home game on July 24, get them here.

Photos: Shelly Fey - Bold Photos by Shelly