Dylan McIntosh recorded a sock trick as the Maple Ridge Burrards came back from a 7-4 deficit to beat the Burnaby Lakers 9-8 on Sunday night at Planet Ice. The win locked up the #4 playoff seed for the Burrards (6-9-2; 14 points) and eliminated Burnaby (5-12; 10 points). The Lakers had a chance to jump from sixth place into that playoff spot with a win. The result also eliminates fifth-place Langley (5-11; 10 points). Even though they can still mathematically catch Maple Ridge in total points with a game in hand, the Thunder lose the head-to-head tiebreaker (1-2) with the Burrards.
Lakers take control early with brief runs
After seven scoreless minutes to start the game, McIntosh put the Burrards on the board first (7:17 power play). Connor Goodwin (12:30) knotted the game at 1-1 before McIntosh netted his second goal (15:14). Ben Stewart closed the first period scoring with a power play goal (16:12) and the game was tied 2-2.
Burnaby took their first lead of the game in the second period, courtesy of Ben McDonald (1:45 power play) and another goal from Stewart (6:13). But Declan Fitzpatrick (8:26) and Marcus Klarich (9:16) scored less than a minute apart to tie the game again at 4-4. The Lakers then opened up a three-goal lead, starting with a goal from Bailey Newton (10:37). Shorthanded goals from Sam La Roue (14:20) and Jack Charboneau (16:37) put Burnaby up 7-4.
McIntosh goes off in final 20+ minutes to clinch playoffs for Maple Ridge
The Burrards rallied with a five-goal run to retake the lead, starting with McIntosh scoring a power play goal (17:16). McIntosh followed with his fourth goal of the game (19:18) to pull Maple Ridge within one, 7-6 at the end of the second period. Drew Andre tied the game at the 7:50 mark of the third period. McIntosh then scored back-to-back goals (12:09; 13:03 power play) for his sock trick, giving the Burrards a 9-7 lead. Stewart broke the run with his hat trick goal 46 seconds later (13:49), but Burnaby could not find the equalizer over the final six minutes of regulation.
McIntosh was named 1st Star of the Game after his six-goal performance. Stewart (3g, 3a) was named 2nd Star for the Lakers, and Payton Cormier (5a) of the Burrards earned 3rd Star. The Burrards outshot the Lakers 58-48, and Reese Barnes went 11-20 at the faceoff dot for Maple Ridge. Maple Ridge finishes the regular season hosting Nanaimo on Tuesday, while Burnaby hosts Victoria.
