Merchants Hold Off Rivermen in Thriller to Even OSL Finals

By Gary Groob 

The Brooklin Merchants traveled west to face the Six Nations Rivermen in game two of the Ontario Series Lacrosse Finals Sunday evening at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena in Haggersville, Ontario. 

The goaltending match-up had Thomas Kiazyk in net for Brooklin facing Cam Dunkerley in net for the Rivermen. 

The Brooklin Merchants evened the Ontario Series Lacrosse Finals at one game apiece with a thrilling 10-9 victory over the Six Nations Rivermen at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena. Brooklin came out firing, building a 6-3 first-period lead behind two goals from Carter Page and contributions from Eddy Ferrede, Ryan Langille, Landen Sinfield and Lucas Littlejohn. The Rivermen battled back in the second, powered by an incredible performance from Thunder Hill. Hill scored four times in the period as Six Nations erased the deficit and pulled even at 8-8, but Sinfield completed his hat trick with just 23 seconds remaining to send the Merchants into the third period holding a 9-8 advantage.

Hill continued his remarkable night in the third, scoring his sixth goal on the power-play at 6:54 to once again bring the Rivermen even. With the game hanging in the balance, Ryan Langille delivered the decisive blow at 14:30, bouncing a shot home off a Carson Christie feed to put Brooklin ahead for good. The Merchants held off Six Nations the rest of the way to secure the 10-9 victory and tie the best-of-five series 1-1.

To The Game:

The Merchants opened the first period scoring with Eddy Ferrede converting a Zac Carrigan pass at 3:20, but David Anderson replied with a sidearm snipe off a Ryan Andrews pass at 7:26 to tie the game.

The Merchants regained the lead with Ryan Langille scoring from the top of the crease off an Owen Wills pass at 8:22, followed by Carter Page with a quick stick off a Zac Carrigan feed at 9:34.

Landen Sinfield blasted a low-to-low laser off a Zac Carrigan feed at 10:25, followed by Carter Page's second of the night from in close on the power-play at 11:56.  Lucas Littlejohn then added to the Brooklin lead with an outside blast off a Landen Sinfield pass at 12:24.

The Rivermen stormed back with Thunder Hill firing from the side of the net off a Marshall Powless feed at 12:59, followed by Greg Elijah-Brown on the power-play with a blast off a David Anderson pass at 18:20.

After one period, Brooklin 6, Six Nations 3.

Second Period:

After half a period of end-to-end action, Thunder Hill got the Rivermen closer with a pair of tallies.  The first was a low-to-high rip on the power-play off a Jacob Crans pass at 9:58, followed by a shot from the top of the crease, also on the power-play play, at 10:44.

Carter Page gave the Merchants some breathing room on the power-play with an outside laser off a Ryan Langille pass at 11:37, but Thunder Hill responded with his third of the period off a Mitch VanEvery feed at 15:27.

Landen Sinfield kept the Merchants in control with a howitzer from the outside off a Ryan Langille pass at 17:19, but late goals from Ryan Andrews and Thunder Hill tied the game at 18:26.

Landen Sinfield gave Brooklin the lead once again with a low laser off a Carter Page feed at 19:37.

After two periods, Brooklin 9, Six Nations 8.

Third Period: 

Thunder Hill tied the game with his sixth of the evening off a Mitch VanEvery pass on the power-play at 6:54, but Ryan Langille replied with the eventual game-winner on a low bounced shot off a Carson Christie feed at 14:30.

Final score, Brooklin 10 Six Nations 9.

The Three Stars:

1. Thunder Hill 
2. Landen Sinfield 
3. Carter Page 

Brooklin ties the best of five series 1-1 with game three slated for Friday August 14th at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena.   Game time is 8 p.m.