Lakers Outlast Excelsiors In Defensive Gem

Gary Groob

Gary Groob has been involved with Lacrosse for the majority of his life, whether playing, coaching, or covering the sport for the media. An avid fan, with a real drive about helping to "grow the game", Gary became part of podcasts about the game in 2010. Through the podcasts, Mr. Groob was given an opportunity to write about lacrosse, and the rest as they say, is history. Through many miles (flying and driving) Gary has made inroads with the National Lacrosse League, Major Series Lacrosse, Ontario Series Lacrosse, the Ontario Lacrosse Association, CUFLA, as well as the Arena Lacrosse League, covering the leagues, their teams, and players, working for, and in concert with all of them. In the year 2019, Mr. Groob was made the media person for the Arena Lacrosse League, voted onto the board of directors of the Brampton Excelsiors Lacrosse Club, as well as being made administrator of the Lacrosse page "Global Lacrosse" with a membership of 14,000+ members in over 90 Countries. Gary was also made an administrator of Lacrosse History Past Present and Future in 2022 with a membership of 19,000+. Gary also has been the media person for Ontario Series Lacrosse (Senior B) since 2023. Mr. Groob also covers the Green Gaels for their excursions to Prague at the Ales Hrebesky tournament since 2022. In 2024, when Major Series Lacrosse was in need of a media person, Gary stepped in as their interim media person. His tasks were running their social media, as well as their website until a full time person was found to fill the role. In 2025 Gary was voted onto the Board of Directors for Ontario Series Lacrosse. Mr. Groob hosts a weekly lacrosse interview show formerly on Spanglish Sports World, and ZingoTV channel 250, now on StreamPunkEnt.com, Youtube, as well as Spotify. Groob also hosts a lacrosse talk show and podcast for All Lacrosse All The Time seen live Sunday nights at 8pm (ET), and archived on the All Lacrosse All The Time YouTube page, as well as Spotify. Gary also wrote a weekly lacrosse editorial column for La Portada Canada News both in print and online for three years from 2021-2024. In 2025, Mr. Groob joined the ownership ranks, becoming a minority owner of StreamPunk Entertainment, ensuring Lacrosse will always have voice in media. Mr. Groob's other sports interests include Hockey, Football, Boxing, Wrestling, and Baseball, competing competitively in Boxing and Wrestling for many years.

(Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Lakers Instagram page)

The Brampton Excelsiors (0-3) faced the Peterborough Lakers (3-0) Thursday night at the Memorial Centre in Peterborough, Ontario in front of 3054 fans.

The goaltending match-up had Riley Hutchcraft in net for the Excelsiors facing Nick Rose in net for the Lakers.

Two of the best defenses in the league got together in Peterborough Thursday night, and put together a low scoring defensesive clinic. Not to be outdone, the goaltending of Nick Rose (Lakers) and Riley Hutchcraft (Excelsiors) was stellar the entire night, facing a combined 85 shots between the two of them.

Joe Resetarits (2g,3a), and Mike Robinson (2g,2a) led the way for the Lakers, with Austin Hasen (1g,3a), and Colton Armstrong (1g,1a) also adding talleys in this low scoring affair.

The Excelsiors transition game once again came to life with James Whiteford (1g,1a), Nate Ruff (1g,0a), Briley Maxwell (1g,0a), Riley Delill (1g, 0a), and Josh Medeiros (1g,0a) all scoring singles in the loss.

Late in the game Peterborough got up by two, only to have a blast from Josh Medeiros find the back of the net at 18:17 setting up the stage for another Excelsiors comeback. However, an untimely penalty from rhe Excelsiors with just 0:30 seconds remaining, allowed the Lakers to run out the clock for the narrow 6-5 victory.

To The Game:

The Lakers got on the board first shorthanded when Austin Hasen converted a behind the back pass from Koleton Marquis at 9:04, but Riley Delill scored in transition with a shot to the top corner at 16:08 to tie the game.

Joe Resetarits gave Peterborough the lead once again heading to the dressing room with a low laser that beat Hutchcraft off an Austin Hasen pass at 16:41.

After one period, Peterborough 2 Brampton 1.

Second Period:

Briley Maxwell tied the game at 4:45 in transition off a Zach Sunderland pass, but a Mike Robinson power-play goal kept the Lakers in the lead heading to the third period.

After two periods, Peterborough 3 Brampton 1.

Third Period:

In the most wide open period of the game, the back and forth action kept the 3000+ Memorial Centre fans on the edge of their seats.

James Whiteford tied the game once again off a Liam Patten feed in transition at 2:37, but Thomas Hoggarth answered back immediately with a blast from in front to the stick side off a Joe Resetarits pass at 3:22.

Nate Ruff again tied the see-saw battle with a bounced shot to the corner off a Seth Van Schepen pass at 6:05.

After almost ten heart-stopping minutes of end to end action, Mike Robinson finally broke the tie all alone out front off a Joe Resetarits pass at 15:12. Colton Armstrong then increased the lead to two with a transition marker off a Brad McCulley pass at 17:39.

With the goalie on the bench, the Excelsiors kept pressing. Josh Medeiros, off a Matt Pereira feed, fired a howitzer from the outside beating Rose at 18:17, setting the stage for yet another comeback.

The Lakers went on the attack, playing keep away to try and kill the remaining time on the clock. The final dagger for Brampton was a holding the stick penalty from Riley Delill at 19:30, allowing the Lakers to run out the remaining time.

Final score, Peterborough 6 Brampton 5.