Jax Summer Update

August 28, 2007 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Portland Lumberjax News Release


PORTLAND, August, 28, 2007 - The Peterborough Lakers from Major Series Lacrosse are set to meet the Coquitlam Adanacs from the Western Lacrosse Association in the Mann Cup National Championship. The MSL and WLA competed all season independently as part of the Canadian Lacrosse Association. The champion of each division moved onto the Mann Cup National Championship, which is a best-of-seven series that runs September 7-15 in Coquitlam, British Columbia.

The Lakers beat the Brampton Excelsiors 4-2 in the MSL final. Jax defenseman Brodie Merrill, who played select games for the Excelsiors during the regular season, returned during the playoffs and gave the Lakers an added boost. Merrill added two assists in a game one victory and a goal and four assists in game two's loss. In a vital game five, with the series even at 2-2, Merrill scored two goals and added three assists as the Excelsiors lost a heartbreaker in double overtime 11-10.

Also in the MSL, Jax forward Matt Holman scored 11 goals and added 11 assists during the regular season for the Barrie Lakeshores. In the playoffs, Holman scored two goals in a first round loss to the Excelsiors.

The WLA champion Adanacs marched straight through the playoffs. The Adanacs took down the Burnaby Lakers 4-2 in the first round and then swept the regular season winner, New Westminster Salmonbellies 4-0 to advance to the Mann Cup National Championship.

Jax goalie Dallas Eliuk has been an instrumental part in the Adanacs season. The 18-year National Lacrosse League veteran played in eight games for the Adanacs, posting a 3-1-1 record and allowing just a 9.42 goals-against-average. Eliuk's GAA was second in the WLA. Eliuk appeared in the first two playoff games for the Adanacs in the first round, going 1-1. Eliuk stopped 33-of-39 shots in the playoff opener and then stopped 37-of-51 shots in the second game.

Ray Guze played in all four games against the Salmonbellies, taking one shot and earning 12 penalty minutes.

Jax forward Peter Morgan finished the regular-season as the Salmonbellies third-leading scorer. Morgan scored 28 goals and tallied 22 assists for 50 points in the 16 games he has appeared in. His brother, Jax defenseman Rich Morgan added four goals and seven assists in four games of action during the regular-season.

Graham Palmer started the summer with the Adanacs and was traded to the fifth place Maple Ridge Burrards. In nine games with the Burrards, Palmer recorded four goals and two assists.

Jax backup goalie Matt King went 5-4 with the Nanaimo Timberman during the regular-season and had a GAA of 10.67. Defenseman Scott Mazuran finished the season practicing with the Langley Thunder.

Ryan Powell, DJ Driscoll, and Merrill all played this summer in the MLL to hone their skills for the upcoming National Lacrosse League season.



National Lacrosse League Stories from August 28, 2007


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