A leaky roof and a fortunate bit of scheduling have combined to add intrigue to the final week of the regular season in the Prince George Senior Lacrosse Association.
The top-ranked BX Pub Bandits, owners of a 9-1 record, meet the second-place College Heights Pub Assault (8-2) tonight at 8 on the Kin 1 floor to make up for the May 14 game postponed due to a wet floor after the skies opened up with a spring downpour.
If the Bandits win, they would pull into a temporary tie for first place in the PGSLA, setting up Thursday's rematch against the Assault as the game to decide the regular season champions.
The Bandits did their part over the weekend, sweeping the Mackenzie Lumberjacks in back-to-back games Saturday and Sunday.
BX Pub needed a goal from Ryan Bellamy 1:19 into overtime to defeat the Lumberjacks 11-10 Saturday, then won the rematch Sunday morning 9-5. Damon Calfa collected five goals and an assist for BX Pub Saturday, Drew Doig notched a hat trick and two assists, and Mike Engbrecht collected six assists. Darcy Bell, with three goals and to assists, and Kyle Paccheco, with two goals, paced the Mackenzie offence. Doig, Engbrecht and Brett Doig each scored twice for the Bandits Sunday, while Ken Barwise picked up a goals and two assists for the Lumberjacks.
The only loss of the season for the Assault happened on opening night, April 26, when the Devils beat them 8-6.
College Heights has five of the league's top eight pointgetters. Clarke Anderson is setting the pace with 29 goals and 29 assists for 58 points in nine games. Dave Jenkins and Chad Martin have also spiced the Assault offence. In six games Jenkins has 19 goals and 31 assists for 50 points, while Martin has totaled 20 goals and 19 assists for 39 points in just five games.
Drew Doig has been the Bandits' hottest sniper, with 26 goals and 28 assists for 54 points in 10 games. Engbrecht is also in the top-10 in league scoring with 38 points in seven games.
The expansion Lumberjacks will make the playoffs in their first PGSLA season. They are currently sitting fourth with a 3-7 record, trailing the third-place Shooters Pub Devils (4-5).
The Riverstone Pub/Regional Security Stylers (0-11) will miss the playoffs, which start next Monday. Both opening-round series are best-of-five affairs, with the second-versus-third series kicking off the postseason, followed by the first-versus-fourth series that starts on Tuesday, June 21.
