The Westwood Sports Pub Devils knew they wouldn't be flying under the radar as defending provincial senior C lacrosse champions.
You can bet the North Shore Indians were well-aware the Devils were undefeated at 42-0 the past two seasons heading into their game Friday night in Armstrong to open the 10-team 2015 provincial tournament.
The Indians gave the Devils all they could handle and led the game until the nine-minute mark of the third period, when Devils shooter Andrew Sivell laced a shot in for equalizer, his third goal of the game, to make it even at eight apiece. Three minutes later, Matt Rochon rifled in the winner with an outside shot and the Devils hung on for a 9-8 victory.
"That was a really good run-and-gun game - they had a bunch of fast guys and played hard the whole game and we were behind most of the game," said Devils forward Scott Anderson.
"That was a wake-up call for us, I really didn't see that coming. We haven't been pushed like that in a long time. I'm exhausted."
Rochon, who played in Prince George this season for the Cowboy Ranch Stylers, was picked up by the Devils for the provincial playoffs.
The Devils have run roughshod over the Prince George Senior Lacrosse Association the past two years and ran the table at last year's provincial tournament in Prince George, capped by a 10-6 win in the final over the Port Moody Express.
"Even last year's provincials weren't like that, that's the toughest game we've had in two years," said Devils coach/manager Chris Scott. "From what I've heard, North Shore is a folded senior B club and they play like a senior B club."
Steven Brizan played two periods in goal for the Devils but was suffering from heat exhaustion on a 30 C day, replaced for the start of the third by Jamie Bellamy.
The Devils will be back on the floor today at 10 a.m. to play Maple Ridge, then face Kelowna at 6 p.m.
In the late game which started at 9:30 p.m. Friday, the BX Pub Bandits of Prince George took on the Airdrie/Calgary Mohawks.
The Bandits play the Express, the West Coast League champions, today at 2 p.m., then face the host Armstrong Shamrocks tonight at 8.
The championship game will be played Sunday at 3 p.m.
