Lakers Outlast Brooklin In A Semi-Final Slobberknocker

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.

The Peterborough Lakers (2-0) visited the Brooklin Lacrosse Club (0-2) in game two of the Major Series Lacrosse semi finals Saturday evening at the Iroquois Park Sports Centre in Whitby, Ontario.

The goaltending match-up had Nick Rose in net for Peterborough facing Zach Higgins in net for Brooklin.

A game that saw much tighter checking, Brooklin got out to a 2-0 lead, only to have Peterborough battle back to even things up later in the frame. Zach Higgins was superb in net stopping 23 of 25 Lakers shots.

The Game opened up a bit in the second, definitely getting more physical. Brooklin again got off to a two goal lead, but three unanswered from the Lakers had them up at the intermission by one.

The third got even more intense with both teams getting even more physical. The Lakers built on their lead led by Justin Sykes (2g,1a) with a pair of goals, Peterborough wins 10-8.

To The Game:

Brooklin drew first blood when Brady Kearnan hit a high to low shot off a Sean Westley pass at 1:52, followed by Taggert Clark with a low shot that caught the corner off a Connor Kearnan pass at 13:30.

The Lakers got on the board when Thomas Hoggarth hit from in close off a Holden Cattoni pass at 14:53, followed by Dustyn Birkhof on a breakaway off a long lead pass from Nick Rose at 16:17 to tie the game.

After one period, Brooklin 2 Peterborough 2.

Second Period:

Brooklin got on the board first in the second period with Taggert Clark hitting a low shot through the five-hole of Nick Rose off a Sean Westley pass at 6:02, followed by Will MacLeod converting a Luke Keenan pass at 7:21.

Peterborough came back when Holden Cattoni hit an outside howitzer off a Mike Robinson pass at 10:03, followed by Braedon Saris on the power-play off a Cattoni feed at 12:12 to tie the game once again.

Sean Westley gave Brooklin the lead once more on the power-play with a sidearm snipe off a Connor Kearnan pass at 14:37, but the Lakers came right back when Taite Cattoni beat Zach Higgins shortside off a Justin Sykes pass 0:31 seconds later.

Peterborough took their first lead of the night when Joe Resetarits fired a laser off a Taite Cattoni pass at 18:52.

After two periods, Peterborough 6 Brooklin 5.

Third Period:

Brooklin tied the game early in the third period when Taggert Clark scored his third of the game off a Sean Westley pass at 1:49.

Justin Sykes then scored back to back goals for the Lakers. The first was on a rebound off a Braedon Saris shot from the top of the crease at 2:44, followed by a blast from the outside that just trickled under Higgins at 4:23.

Brooklin got back in the game when Sean Westley fired a low to low laser off a Taggert Clark feed at 6:43, but Matt Gilray answered in transition scoring on a breakaway unassisted at 10:53.

Thomas Hoggarth added one in transition off a Dylan Hutchison feed at 13:46 for a three goal cushion, but Brooklin answered on the power-play with Will MacLeod converting a Taggert Clark pass at 19:32.

Final score, Peterborough 10 Brooklin 8.
Shots on goal favored the Lakers 64-43.