Baxter's Four-Goal Outburst Powers Brooklin Past Collingwood

The Collingwood Cruise (0-3) traveled east to face the Brooklin Merchants (4-0) at the Iroquois Park Sports Centre Sunday afternoon in Ontario Series Lacrosse action. 

The goaltending match-up had Oliver Vanyo in net for the Cruise facing Ryan Schuetzkowski in net for the Merchants. 

Brooklin controlled the pace from the opening whistle and never looked back in a commanding 12-4 victory over Collingwood. The Merchants jumped out early with Carson Christie and Robbie Baxter setting the tone before Jack Oldman and Max Macpherson added to a dominant first period that gave Brooklin a 4-0 lead. Whenever the Cruise found a way to get on the board, Brooklin immediately answered back, preventing any momentum from building and maintaining firm control throughout the contest.

Robbie Baxter led the offensive attack with a four-goal performance while Zach Miller chipped in with a pair of goals as the Merchants spread the scoring throughout the lineup. Brooklin's transition game and quick-strike offence proved to be too much for Collingwood to contain, with contributions coming from across the roster. Despite strong efforts from Devin Shoreman, Gareth Haigh, Zack Gignac, and Christophe McWatt for the Cruise, the Merchants continued to press offensively and closed out an impressive wire-to-wire victory.

To The Game:

The Merchants got rolling quickly with Carson Christie converting a Zac Carrigan feed at 1:45, followed by Robbie Baxter in transition scoring off a broken play unassisted at 2:59.

Jack Oldman then scored from in close off an Owen Tapper pass at 12:38, followed by Max Macpherson late in the period finishing a Zach Miller pass at 19:39.

After one period, Brooklin 4 Collingwood 0.

Second Period:

Devin Shoreman finally got Collingwood on the board with a blast off a Brodie Rice pass at 1:14, but Robbie Baxter answered quickly with a low to low laser off a Jack Oldman feed at 2:18.

Baxter then increased the Merchants lead finishing a Zeke Wills pass at 4:12, but Gareth Haigh kept the Cruise in the game with a sidearm snipe off a Spencer Andrews pass at 9:50.

The Merchants kept pressing with Zach Miller finishing a perfect feed from Owen Tapper at 11:33, but Zack Gignac answered for Collingwood with a blast off a Devin Shoreman pass at 12:53.

Carson Christie responded quickly off the faceoff for Brooklin unassisted just seconds later in this back and forth period, followed by Zach Miller with his second of the game off a Zeke Wills pass at 15:27.

After two periods, Brooklin 9 Collingwood 3.

Third Period:

Parker Pipher opened the third period scoring with a great individual effort off a Jack Oldman feed at 2:57, followed by Robbie Baxter's fourth of the day off a Pipher pass at 4:45.  Andrew Dalton then added another tally off an Owen Wills feed at 9:21.
The Cruise kept fighting with Christophe McWatt scoring on the power-play unassisted at 17:58, but Brooklin kept overall control until the final buzzer for the victory. 

Final score, Brooklin 12 Collingwood 4.

The Three Stars:

1. Robbie Baxter 
2. Zach Miller 
3. Ryan Schuetzkowski