Eduardo Curros – Western Correspondent, All Lacrosse All The Time
The San Diego Seals hosted the Vancouver Warriors at Pechanga Arena Friday night in the second of two meetings this year. Both teams came into the game with a 5-6 record, fighting to stay in the playoff race. The Seals were coming off a split of a home-and-home series with Buffalo, while the Warriors had lost three of four, but won the first meeting against San Diego. The Seals erased deficits of 4-1 and 7-5 to win 13-11, earning a split of the season series and evening their record at 6-6. The loss drops the Warriors to 5-7 on the season; they have now lost four of their last five games.
Seals take lead after several back and forth runs
Wes Berg kicked off the scoring for the Seals, with help from Rob Hellyer and Zach Currier at 0:25. The Warriors then got going with Marcus Klarich at 1:36. Ryan Martel scored with help from Owen Grant and Alec Stathakis at 1:56. Johnathan Peshko would score next on passes from Riley Loewen and Klarich at 3:35. Loewen finished the four-goal run with help from Kevin Crowley and Martel at 4:56. Ryan Benesch broke the run for the Seals, assisted by Hellyer and Dylan Watson at 6:03. Berg scored again on a power play, off a pass from Tre Leclaire at 7:49; however, the Seals trailed 4-3 after one quarter.
Currier opened the second quarter scoring on passes from Hellyer and Leclaire, at 0:38. Watson added an unassisted marker at 1:24 for a 5-4 Seals lead. Vancouver went on another run, beginning with Adam Charalambides at 4:15. Grant scored unassisted at 6:04, and Martel 27 seconds later with help from Loewen and Keegan Bal. Suddenly trailing 7-5, the Seals put up a three-goal run of their own. Ben McIntosh from Hellyer and Berg at 7:41, then Benesch from Trent DiCicco at 8:02. Lastly, Berg got his hat trick off passes from Benesch and Hellyer at 10:14 as the Seals led 8-7 going into the half.
Seals score late after Vancouver rally to split series
The Seals would expand the lead with three more goals in the third quarter, while shutting out the Warriors. Leclaire scored unassisted at 5:22, then Hellyer scored a power play goal with help from Benesch and Berg at 9:08. Benesch finished the run with a power play goal with help from Hellyer and Berg at 11:17 for an 11-7 lead. Vancouver mounted one more run in the fourth quarter. Peshko ignited the run, assisted by Jeff Cornwall at 1:04. Stathakis scored unassisted at 1:15. A power play goal from Bal at 3:05 cut the lead to one. Martel got a hat trick with help from Klarich and Peshko at 5:08 to tie the game at 11-11. However, two late goals from the Seals closed out the game. Berg’s fourth goal at 13:40, and Hellyer at 14:22, giving the Seals a 13-11 victory.
Curros’s Corner
Warriors: Martel (3g, 2a); Peshko (2g, 1a); Bal (1g, 2a); Klarich (1g, 2a); Loewen (1g, 2a), Stathakis (1g, 1a); Grant (1g, 1a); Charalambides (1g, 1a)
Seals: Berg (4g, 3a); Benesch (3g, 2a); Hellyer (2g, 7a); Leclaire (1g, 2a); Currier (1g, 2a); Watson (1g, 1a)
Power Play: VAN 1 of 4; SD 3 of 4
Chris Origlieri (SD): 44 saves
The Seals currently sit in the eighth and final playoff spot, and host Las Vegas in Week 16. The Warriors drop into a tie for 10th place with the loss; they host Toronto next week.