Long Awaited Update
Just to bring you up to speed, this is how the regular season looked for the St.Albert Senior Miners...
The Senior Miners ended their third full regular season in the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League, finishing in 2nd place (12-5-1, 25 points). The Senior Miners were 2 points shy of claiming their 2nd consecutive regular season title in 3 years but were edged out by the Okotoks Senior Raiders (13-5, 26 points).
Having the Okotoks Senior Raiders take 1st place in the regular season standings, this left the Senior Miners facing a local rival, the 3rd seed Edmonton Outlaws (10-7-1), in the first round of the playoffs.
The Senior Miners, having home floor advantage for Games 1 and 2, jumped out to an early lead in Game 1. The Senior Miners went up 5-1 at the 10:00 mark of the first period, but the Outlaws managed to bury two more goals before the end of the frame. After exchanging 2 goals each in the second period, the Miners were still up by a pair but needed to set the tone early in the third period to give themselves some cushion. The Miners did just that, coming out of the gate flying, scoring 3 unanswered goals until the Outlaws stopped the bleeding with a goal of their own. The Outlaws showed signs of life, as they put up two quick goals to bridge the gap but the Miners proved to be resilient, ending the frame with 3 more goals. The Outlaws managed to squeak in one more before the buzzer, ending the game with a final score 13-9. Seven different Miners found the back of the net and the Miners were led by Graedon Cornfield, the 2-time Harris Toth Award winner (regular season points leader), who had 5 points (2 G, 3A) and Nate Schimdt who had the hat trick (3,0).
Game 2 started out somewhat differently. The Miners scored 54 seconds into the game and on the ensuing face-off, Outlaws Coach Dave Pym called for measurement of the Miner's goaltender, Dave Marrese. After a quick measurement and explanation, Marrese was found to be in compliance with the width of his leg pads, therefore leaving the Outlaws shorthanded after being assessed a delay of game penalty. The Miners capitalized on their powerplay opportunity just 10 seconds into the penalty. The Miners headed into the dressing room up 4-3 after one period. The Miners kept it rolling, putting in 4 more in the second period, while only allowing 2. The Outlaws came out of the dressing room firing on all cylinders, putting in 2 goals within 30 seconds of each other, and only 1:21 into the period. Having scored 2 goals in 1:21 to start the frame, the Outlaws started to fade and didn't put up another marker until 6:18 left in the game. The Miners managed to pot 3 more goals, highlighted by an individual effort that saw Steve Tessarola get his own rebound off a missed shot, bringing it around the net and putting it passed the Outlaws keeper. Final score 11-8 for the Miners, who were leading the series 2-0 before heading the Outlaws home barn for game 3.
Game 3 was not like Games 1 and 2. Game 3 was a battle of the defensive units on both sides. After two periods, the scored was all tied up, 2-2. It was up to the Miners to finish what they had started and were led into the final stanza by off-season accquisition from the Spruce Grove Slash, Jordan Cornfield. Cornfield broke open the tie with a rocket of a shot, beating the Outlaws netminder short side, top cheddar. The two teams exchanged 2 goals each before Cornfield's brother, Graedon, lit the lamp and Brad Scott adding the insurance with a submarine shot. Outlaws goalie, Mitch Anders, had several highlight reel saves in loss, but despite his best efforts, they were thwarted by the potent offence of the Miners. Final score...7-4, Miners.
The Okotoks Raiders were to face the 4th seed Calgary Knights (8-10), but were upset by their familiar foe when the Knights swept the first playoff series 3-0 (7-4, 11-8, 11-6).
The Senior Men's Provincial Finals action starts back up on Saturday August 6th (7:30 PM) at Servus Place, as the St.Albert Miners play host to the Calgary Knights in a best of 5 series.
Winner of the series will represent Alberta in the Senior B Men's National Championships, The President's Cup, which is being hosted by the Snake Island Muskies in Cornwall, Ontario (Akwesasne Nation).