Adamson buries OT winner to cap Shooting Eagles comeback

Coady Adamson and the Shooting Eagles scored the final five goals in a 12-11 overtime win over the Grizzlies on Jan. 22 at Langley Events Centre. Ryan Molag LEC photo

The captain came through in overtime.

Coady Adamson buried the winner 46 seconds into overtime as the Shooting Eagles battled back from four goals down with less than five to play to defeat the Grizzlies 12-11 on Sunday afternoon at Langley Events Centre in Arena Lacrosse League West Division action. Both teams now sport identical 4-4 records.

The winning goal came with the Shooting Eagles short-handed – they were whistled for a penalty late in regulation – and after Brody Harris came up with a save in overtime, he sent an outlet pass to Cole Catton, who set up Adamson for the winner.

“I don’t even how he got it through, to be honest. I just saw a big body in front of (Cole) and the ball came out of nowhere and all I was thinking was, I have to finish this,” Adamson said of the decisive goal.

The Shooting Eagles entered the game averaging a league-best 13.7 goals per game but managed just seven through the first 55 minutes before erupting for four goals – two of which came on the power play – in a span of 3:10.

“The Grizzlies played awesome. (Goaltender Brandon) Humphrey stood on his head and played really well. All game long, they were tenacious, they were attacking us, chasing us. We were having a hard time and making mistakes because we were under pressure,” said Shooting Eagles coach Adam Smith. “And when we did get opportunities, it felt like we wasted them because we were just taking outside shots and that plays right into their game.”

“Emotions run high on our team – really high – and the idea of composing ourselves, what I was saying to our guys was our composure from the first half to the second half, was miles different. Let our coaches talk to the refs, that’s fine. Just play our game. Understand that bad things are going to happen throughout,” Adamson said.

Box Score

Dylan Lacroix led the Shooting Eagles offence with a hat trick while Spencer Bromley finished with a pair of goals and four points and Adamson had two assists to go alongside his game-winning goal. Adam Noakes, Cole Paciejewski, Garrett Winter and Mark Yingling each had a goal and an assist. Dylan McIntosh and Rhys Blake chipped in with a goal apiece.

Connor Nichol made 51 saves on 62 shots before Harris entered the game midway through the fourth quarter, stopping both shots he faced.

Sekawnee Baker powered the Grizzlies attack with a four-goal, five-point game. Aidan Baker (2+0), Pearson Willis (1+3) and Brian Smith (1+1) also had multi-point games with Joseph Callard, Braydon Laity and Harrison Smith contributing a goal apiece.

Humphrey made 43 saves in the Grizzlies goal.

Smith was happy with the steps his defence made, citing the fact some players who have missed time have made their way back, as well as the team doing a better job of understanding and executing the coaches’ systems.

“It is the same as last year (where) the defence caught up by the end of the season. There is a lot of scoring power (so) it takes time (for a defence),” he said.

Spencer Bromley had a pair of goals and four points as the Shooting Eagles rallied to defeat Brayden Laity and the Grizzlies in overtime. Ryan Molag LEC photo