Eduardo Curros – Western Correspondent, All Lacrosse All The Time
The Vancouver Warriors went up against the Las Vegas Desert Dogs Friday night in a Valentine’s Day grudge match. The Warriors have been struggling the past two weeks and were looking to get back to .500 with a win. The Desert Dogs were also trying to right the ship before it gets too late to make a playoff run. Keegan Bal had a nine-point night and Marcus Klarich had four goals as the Warriors prevailed 12-8 to even their record at 5-5. The Desert Dogs fall to 2-7 with the loss, and travel to Calgary on Sunday for the second half of their doubleheader.
Warriors blank Desert Dogs in second quarter
Kyle Killen scored first for Las Vegas with a power play goal, assisted by Jack Hannah at 1:11. Hannah then made it 2-0 at 4:07. Vancouver’s lone goal of the quarter came from Kevin Crowley, with an assist from Payton Cormier at 10:37. However, the Warriors offense would explode with four goals in the second quarter as the defense silenced the Desert Dogs. Cormier scored with help from Adam Charalambides and Keegan Bal 28 seconds into the quarter. Charalambides would score next with help from Brett Mydske and Aden Walsh at 2:59. Marcus Klarich would follow with two consecutive goals. The first one with help from Bal at 5:46, and the second with help from Bal and Charalambides at 13:17. Vancouver would lead 5-2 heading into halftime.
Warriors even their record at season’s midway point
Vancouver would continue their scoring run on a power play goal from Bal with an assist from Klarich, at 0:45 of the third quarter. The Desert Dogs fought back with a three-goal run of their own. Jackson Webster scored on a power play at 4:07. Casey Jackson netted a power play goal of his own at 6:04. Jonathan Donville finished the run at 7:29 to make it a 6-5 game. Goals from Klarich on a pass from Bal at 11:59, and Charalambides from Bal at 13:55 pushed the Warriors’ lead back to three, 8-5 heading into the fourth quarter.
Goals from Riley Loewen at 0:25 and Bal at 1:07 extended the lead to 10-5. Las Vegas got one back when Marshal King netted a quick one with help from Adam Poitras and Nick Preston at 3:05. Klarich’s fourth goal of the game at 6:06 made it 11-6. Poitras scored a power play goal from Hannah and Donville at 7:28 to cut the lead to four. The teams traded two more goals, Owen Grant for the Warriors at 14:18, and Kyle Killen for the Desert Dogs at 14:42 as Vancouver evened their record and jumped back into the playoff picture.
Curros’s Corner
Warriors: Klarich (4g, 1a); Bal (2g, 7a); Charalambides (2g, 4a); Cormier (1g, 2a); Loewen (1g, 1a); Crowley (1g)
Desert Dogs: Killen (2g); Hannah (1g, 5a); Poitras (1g, 2a); Donville (1g, 2a); Webster (1g, 2a); King (1g)
Power Play: VAN 1 for 1; LV 4 for 6
Owen Grant (VAN): 5 Caused Turnovers (led all players)
