Second-Period Barrage Powers Merchants Past Rivermen

By Gary Groob 

The Six Nations Rivermen (8-2) traveled east to face the Brooklin Merchants (8-0) in a battle for first place in Ontario Series Lacrosse action Saturday afternoon at the Iroquois Park Sports Centre in Whitby, Ontario. 

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

The battle for first place in Ontario Series Lacrosse lived up to its billing early, as the Six Nations Rivermen and undefeated Brooklin Merchants traded blows throughout a tightly contested opening period. David Anderson scored twice while Thunder Hill added a goal and two assists to help the Rivermen erase deficits, but Brooklin answered every challenge behind Ryan Langille, Zach Miller and Robbie Baxter. The clubs finished the opening 20 minutes deadlocked 3-3 despite the Merchants holding a slight edge in shots.

The game turned decisively in the second period as Brooklin erupted for six unanswered goals, using a lethal combination of balanced scoring and a dominant power play to seize complete control. Miller finished with four goals, while Langille, Baxter and Carter Page each had multi-point performances as the Merchants built a commanding five-goal cushion. Six Nations pushed back in the third with goals from Greg Elijah-Brown, Brody Thomas, David Anderson and Mason Hill, but Brooklin answered every rally before closing out a convincing 12-8 victory. The win keeps the Merchants perfect at 8-0 and alone atop the Ontario Series Lacrosse standings.

To The Game:

The Rivermen got on the board first with David Anderson converting a Thunder Hill pass at 3:38, but Zach Miller answered for Brooklin on the power-play with a sidearm snipe off a Ryan Langille feed at 4:25.

Thunder Hill scored from in close to give Six Nations the lead off a Mitch VanEvery pass at 6:54, but Robbie Baxter answered quickly for the Merchants with a blast from the outside off a Ryan Langille pass at 8:47.

The Merchants took their first lead of the day when Langille hinself quick sticked a Zach Miller feed at 11:39, but a high to high blast from David Anderson had the game tied at the break.

After one period, Brooklin 3 Six Nations 3.
Shots on goal favored Brooklin 16-13.

Second Period:

The Merchants took over in the second period with six unanswered goals to break the game wide open.

Zach Miller opened the second period scoring with a low to low laser off an Owen Wills feed at 45 seconds, followed by an outside blast from Carson Christie off an Adam Perroni feed at 2:26.

Robbie Baxter scored his second of the game on the power-play with an in close shot off a Ryan Langille pass at 10:57, followed by Carter Page, also on the power-play, with a high to low bounced shot off a Baxter feed at 12:22.

Zach Miller continued the onslaught with a howitzer from the outside off a Baxter feed at 14:31, followed by Langille himself adding a tally of his own from the top of the crease off a Zach Miller pass at 16:29.

David Anderson finally stopped the bleeding with a blast from the top of the crease off a Thunder Hill feed at 18:05.

After two periods, Brooklin 9 Six Nations 4.
Shots on goal favored the Rivermen 20-15.

Third Period:

Greg Elijah-Brown got the Rivermen rolling with an early marker off a Thunder Hill pass at 1:19, but Zach Miller's power-play tally would stop the Six Nations momentum at 3:24.

Brody Thomas kept Six Nations fighting with a blast off a Greg Elijah-Brown pass at 7:52, followed by David Anderson on the power-play with a sidearm laser off a Ty Logan feed at 10:56.

Carter Page's second of the game got the Merchants back on track with a blast off an Owen Hill pass at 11:19, but Mason Hill kept the Rivermen in the game with a low laser off a Ryan Andrews feed at 18:07.

Adam Perroni added a late marker for the Merchants unassisted at 19:33.

Final score, Brooklin 12 Six Nations 8.
Shots on goal favored Brooklin 13-12, for a game total of 45-44 in favor of the Rivermen. 

The Three Stars:

1. Zach Miller 
2. David Anderson 
3. Ryan Langille