Playoff end comes for game Lakers

The Burnaby Lakers storybook playoff run came to and end in Victoria.

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="400"] Rookie Josh Byrne earned three game stars in the semi-final playoff and finished second in team scoring for Burnaby. Garrett James photo[/caption]

The senior A Lakers dug just too deep a hole to climb out of eventually falling 14-11 to the Victoria Shamrocks in the Game 7 of best-of-seven Western Lacrosse Association playoff semi-final at the Q Center on Sunday.

Coming off three consecutive wins after falling behind in the first three games of the series, Burnaby fell into the similar stupor that played against them in the opening three losses.

The Lakers gave up five goals in an eight-minute span to end the first period and then tumbled behind by a seven-goal margin after being outscored 5-1 in the middle frame.

Entering the final period trailing 11-4, Burnaby mustered a heroic comeback, rippling the twine seven times in a courageous attempt to snatch its first playoff victory over a Victoria team since 1992.

Josh Byrne showed his playoff worth as a first-year Laker, earning the third game star for the third time in the series, garnering seven points, including a game-high six assists. Byrne finished the series with 10 goals and 24 total points.

Robert Church, who scored twice in a six-point night, led the Lakers in playoff scoring with 13 goals and 30 points, second best in both statistical departments to Victoria's Rhys Duch.

Scott Jones and Eli McLaughlin, who had a hat trick in the loss, both tallied early in the period to shave the deficit to 11-6,

McLaughlin then sparked a three-goal mini rally inside two minutes, closing the gap to 12-9 along with goals from Church and Jones all with goalie Zac Boychuk on the bench for an extra attacker.

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="200"] Burnaby fell 4-3 to Victoria in the seven-game semi-final playoff. Garrett James photo[/caption]

First star Cory Conway led all scorers with three goals and five assists. Duch finished the playoff series with 22 goals and 40 points.

 Victoria will now challenge Maple Ridge Burrards, 4-1 winners over New Westminster, for the WLA title.

 To view the game score sheet, click here: