Burnaby runners garner NLL stars

Two Burnaby Lakers earned game stars in National Lacrosse League matchups this week.

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="400"] Robert Church was named the first star in the Saskatchewan Rush's win over the Stealth. Garrett James photo[/caption]

Robert Church was named player of the game for the defending two-time Champions Cup Saskatchewan Rush following a six-point outing in its 16-12 win over the visiting Vancouver Stealth on Friday.

The first star nod gives Church eight three-star points, good enough for a tie for second place with a handful of other players behind league leader Corey Small of Vancouver.

For the official Rush vs. Stealth game sheet click on: http://nll_stats.stats.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=2965414

Church tallied four goals in the win, including three first-half power-play goals. The extra-man markers gives the crafty right-hander a league-leading 10 counters with the man advantage.

Church also claims second place amongst all NLL top-20 snipers with a .316 shot percentage. Fellow Burnaby Laker righty Tyler Digby of the Calgary Roughnecks holds down top spot in that statistical department with a .348 shot percentage.

The win was the second in a row at home for the Rush, putting them in second spot in the NLL West Division at 2-2.

Burnaby defender Chris O'Dougherty tallied his first of the year for the Stealth, unassisted, in the loss.

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="200"] Chris O'Dougherty got his first goal of the season with the Stealth in loss to the Rush. Garrett James photo[/caption]

On Saturday, Laker left-hander Eli McLaughlin picked up his third, third-star credit for the Colorado Mammoth in the club's 12-8 loss to the Roughnecks.

To view the Clagary/Colorado game sheet click here:  http://nll_stats.stats.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=2965415

McLaughlin garnered four goals, including three on the power play, and a single assist in the game, giving him 11 markers to date in league play, six of them coming with the man advantage.

Burnaby's Riley Loewen scored his third goal of the season for the Roughnecks in the win.Calgary moved into sole possession of first place in the west at 3-1.

Elsewhere, Burnaby transition runner Justin Salt potted a couple of goals, added a third point and picked up a game-high seven loose balls in Vancouver's 14-12 loss to the unbeaten Georgia Swarm.