A seven-goal outburst in the second period gave the junior A Miners the lead they needed to ward off a late charge from the Edmonton Eclipse to win 12-9 in Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League action Wednesday night at Northstar Hyundai Arena.
Spencer Gelinas potted four goals and a helper and goaltender John McMillan stopped 38 of 47 shots in his first junior A game, giving the Miners their first win of the season at their home opener.
“It was a positive experience,” said coach AJ Jomha. “I thought we worked hard and we saw lots of things to build on. There was a ton of mistakes by both teams but it’s early in the season and I guess the reason we play the whole season is to develop and get better.”
The Miners came out slightly timid in the first period, allowing the Eclipse to score 11 seconds in. While the Eclipse were strong on the body, creating several turnovers at both ends of the box, Gelinas got the Miners on the board after a breakaway courtesy of a long pass from Michael Seidel.
Moments later Tom Buckley put the Miners ahead 2-1 after firing home a loose ball. Though the Eclipse tied the game at times, the Miners never again relinquished the lead.
“We moved the ball well,” said Jomha. “I thought we swung the ball very well across the floor and got some good looks so that the guys cutting through the middle were getting that ball or swinging that ball to the guy standing by the crease.”
Gelinas replied with his second of the game moments after the Eclipse knotted the score at two to give his team a one-goal lead heading into the second period.
“My teammates were moving the ball around and a couple of them saw me backdoor a couple of times,” Gelinas said. “And when I did get the ball I was feeling it tonight.”
The Eclipse tied the score minutes into the second period but the Miners exploded for seven goals in the ensuing 20 minutes, with Gelinas chipping in his next two goals. McMillan was a rock between the posts, turning aside 15 of 17 shots that period and feeding several teammates with long break-out passes that kept the Miners’ offence running.
“We’re really happy with him,” Jomha said of McMillen. “It was his first game as a junior A goalie. He has some work ahead of him too like ball control and rebound control and that sort of thing but he played very solid and showed a lot of confidence for a guy making his first start.
In the final minute of the period, Gelinas and Dayna Douville scored less than eight seconds apart to send the Miners to the locker room with a 10-4 lead.
“I saw a lot of athleticism today,” Jomha said. “There are a lot of things I think we can build on.”
But the momentum swung in favour of the Eclipse in the third as they scored two goals within the first minute of the period and applied steady pressure in the Miners’ zone, who at times looked tired on their feet.
“It was a little bit of complacency and a bit of, ‘Let’s not lose this game,’” Jomha said. “Lacrosse, like no other sport I know, is one of momentum and it swings back and forth all the time. You know to expect it, you it’s going to happen – what you have to do is stem it, cut it off before it happens.”
The Eclipse would manage five goals on 18 shots compared to the Miners two, but weren’t able to solve McMillen often enough. At one point Eclipse forward Darren Bourret deliberately charged McMillen while the Miners’ goalie was playing the ball up the box, knocking him to the floor. Seidel took exception and clotheslined Bourret. After a brief skirmish, Bourret was sent to the box for two minutes for charging while Seidel received a five-minute major and a game misconduct.
“We know to expect that kind of stuff from that player,” Jomha said. “That’s the kind of player he is. He’s the kid you hate to play against and the kid you want on your team.”
The Miners hosted the Calgary-based Mounties Friday night at Northstar Hyundai Arena. The score was not available as of press time.
The Miners next home game is June 2 against the Raiders.
