Merchants Celebrate Home Opener in Style

By Mark Stehlin

In front of a boisterous home crowd the Brooklin Merchants welcomed the Belleville Kodiaks to the Ontario Series Lacrosse league as the seventh team. The Merchants were not gracious hosts, however, in handing their guests a 14-5 loss.

It all started well for the home side who rattled off a 7-0 lead at the sound of the first period buzzer. Ryan Schuetzkowski got the nod in net after Ethan Harwood took the game one victory last week over Ennismore. Schuetzkowski played well and turned aside any shots that the Kodiaks were able to shoot his way. Owen Wills, a former draft pick of the Brooklin Lacrosse Club who plays collegiate ball at St Leo University in Florida, used his skill and speed as he snared an errant Kodiaks pass and ran it down the floor for the 5-0 lead. The Merchants found themselves in some penalty trouble giving their guests as chance to claw back into the game. Newcomer, Griffin Poll had other ideas as he grabbed a loose ball and danced across the front of the Kodiaks net all while scoring a short-handed marker that left fans in disbelief.

The parade to the penalty box continued for the Merchants and on another 5 on 3, the Kodiaks finally solved Schuetzkowski with a power play marker to make it 9-1 with seven minutes remaining in the middle frame.  Another new face this season, Shane Halliwell, acquired in a trade for Ed Renaud with the Hamilton Bengals, delighted fans with his offensive skill as he drove to the net and fired one past Kodiaks starter Jackson Hainer with four minutes to go and it was 10-1 for the homeside.

-photo credit Jay Saucier

“I was happy when I heard about the trade and I’m excited to be here as I knew some of the guys. I know what kind of team it is after facing them the last two years,” said Halliwell after the game.

“These guys are easy to play with; we’re swinging the ball well and finding the open guy. I’m seeing the high energy coaching staff here and they are more than willing to offer help as it is needed,” added Halliwell.

The third period was tighter by far as the teams traded goals with each notching three in that final frame. As the dust settled and the clock ran down the Merchants began celebrating their second win of this 12-game season.

“The effort was there; I was happy with that and happy with the win.  I told the guys that when the game started to open up I was seeing  some bad habits creeping in, slow off the floor and things like that which we will clean up going forward,” said Ryan Degerdon, head coach after the game.

Scoring

O Wills (1,1), Norris (0,4) Poll (2,1), Z Wills (2,2), Baxter (0,2) P Pipher (2,2) Hyland (0,1) Halliwell (1,4), Sinfield (3,2) McPherson (2,1) McKinnon (1,0)

Next up is a road trip to the Wally Dever Arena in Belleville on Saturday May 23 at 7 pm for a return date with the Kodiaks. The Merchants return home on Sunday May 24 at 4 pm as the Collingwood Cruise dock at Iroquois Park Sports Centre.