Shooting Eagles bounce back, return to win column

Shooting Eagles' Isaac Richmond pins Black Fish' Ethan M'Lot during Arena Lacrosse League West Division action at Langley Events Centre on Dec. 3. Ryan Molag photo

The offensive depth of the Shooting Eagles was on full display.

Coming off a rare loss – prior to last week, they had won nine consecutive regular season games dating back to last season – the Shooting Eagles had three players post seven-point games while a fourth finished with six in a convincing 16-10 win over the Black Fish.

The teams were playing on Sunday afternoon at Langley Events Centre in Arena Lacrosse League West Division action.

The Black Fish opened the scoring but the Shooting Eagles quickly responded and led by multi-goals for almost the entirety of the contest, improving to 3-1 with the win. The Black Fish record slipped to 1-3.

Dylan Lacroix led the way with five goals, to go alongside his two assists, with Garret Winter (4-3) and Coady Adamson (2-5) matching him with seven points apiece. Spencer Bromley was right behind with a goal and five assists.

“Guys were swinging the ball back and forth and no one was being selfish,” Lacroix said. “The ball was moving and it can be anybody’s night.”

The Eagles were coming of a 15-11 loss in week 3.

“We practiced the day after our game last week and worked on a bunch of stuff and it showed today,” Lacroix said. “(And) every team is getting guys back and we are just tweaking things.”

Head coach Adam Smith has long stressed that with this being a developmental league, he is more concerned about getting better weekly compared to regular season wins and losses. But coming off a loss and incorporating several new faces, Smith admitted the result had more meaning this week.

“It was important that we got out there and had a good game together because that will really set the stage for the rest of the season (and) that is hard to do if you don’t come away with the win, he said. 

Mark Yingling (2-1) and Isaac Richmond (1-2) and Connor Davidson (1-0) rounded out the scoring for the Shooting Eagles with Colin Jeffrey stopping 38 of 48 shots. 

For the Black Fish, Laszlo Henning led the way with four goals, Connor Watson (2-1) and Temeke7 Gottfriedson (2-0) scored twice apiece, and Ethan M’Lot and Ryan Jones had a goal and two assists each. Both Black Fish goalies saw action in the contest with Brandon Humphrey making 19 saves on 28 shots while Dave Mather stopped 12 of 19 shots.

Winter, Adamson and Henning were the game’s three stars.