Merchants Set The Pace To Victory

Written by Gary Groob  - All Lacrosse All The Time 

The Brooklin Merchants (2-1) visited the Hamilton Bengals (2-3) in Ontario Series Lacrosse action Saturday night at the Dave Andreychuk Mountain Arena in Hamilton, Ontario. 

The Bengals were coming off an 11-9 loss to the Six Nations Rivermen the previous night, and were hoping to right the ship against the Merchants.   Brooklin last played a week earlier, also losing to the Rivermen.  The Merchants were looking to get back in the win column in this affair.

The goaltending match-up had Deacan Knott in net for Brooklin facing Chase Cosgrove in net for Hamilton. 

The Merchants pushed the pace most of the night, taking advantage of Hamilton playing on back to back nights.  Jumping out to a 4-1 lead in the first period, the Merchants were able to keep the Bengals at arms length most of the night.  Every time Hamilton got within a couple of goals, the Merchants  were able to throw it in another gear en route to a 13-8 victory. 

Christian Watts (2g,3a), Eddie Renaud (2g,2a), and Parker Pipher (2g,2a) led the way for Brooklin.  Shane Halliwell (4g,2a), Mitch Bolduc (1g,3a) and Yvon Bolduc (1g,3a) were the offensive leaders for Hamilton. 

To The Game:

The Bengals got on the board first with Cooper Day-Allison converting a Mitch Bolduc pass at 2:27, but Brooklin answered back with a flurry.

Eddie Renaud scored off a Christian Watts feed at 6:25, followed by Watts himself converting a Tyler Goodchild pass at 10:09.  Goodchild himself then entered the score sheet, blasting an Eddie Renaud pass 11:19, followed by Alexis Simard finishing a Quinn Hyland pass at 12:19 for the 4-1 Merchants lead.

Dawson Brown stopped the Merchants run with a slick finish off a Mitch Bolduc feed at 12:54, but Parker Pipher answered firing a laser off an Eddie Renaud feed at 15:48.  Shane Halliwell got Hamilton a little closer converting a Dawson Brown feed at 19:26.

After one period, Brooklin 5 Hamilton 3.

Second Period:

Mitch Bolduc got the Bengals within one goal off a Shane Halliwell pass at 4:41, but goals from Robert Morgan and Darren Elliott on a great individual effort had the Merchants up 7-4.

Shane Halliwell got Hamilton back in the game firing a pair of goals back to back, but Eddie Renaud and Kellen Pulera gave the Merchants a little breathing room once again.  Renaud finished a Connor Murphy feed at 15:09, followed by Pulera converting an Adam Perroni pass at 18:47.

After two periods, Brooklin 9 Hamilton 6.

Third Period:

Brooklin increased their lead when Christian Watts scored his second of the game off a Parker Pipher feed at 4:55, but were answered by Yvon Bolduc converting brother Mitch's pass at 9:03.

Shane Halliwell's fouth of the night brought Hamilton within two goals, but Kellon Pulera was able to restore the three goal cushion with just under seven minutes left in the game.  

Parker Pipher added his second of the night at 18:12, followed by Darren Elliott's second of the night off a Kellon Pulera feed 0:19 seconds later sealed the victory. 

Final score, Brooklin 13 Hamilton 8.

The Three Stars:

1. Christian Watts 
2. Shane Halliwell 
3. Eddie Renaud