They saved their best for last but the Peterborough Timbermen were ultimately downed by the Toronto Monarchs 13-10 in their Arena Lacrosse League quarter-final at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre on Friday night.
The Timbermen equaled the effort and talent of the Monarchs all game long and it was only a brief fourth quarter breakdown that was the difference.
“I’m so proud of the guys,” head coach Joe Sullivan stated. “They came in here as massive underdogs. At any given time during the game they could have quit but they definitely didn’t. They played the best defense I’ve seen them play all year.”
The Timbermen started well and spent much of the first quarter tied at one; Jordan Critch put the Monarchs up less than a minute in but Geoff McNulty got Peterborough on the board at 5:57. Seth Laidlaw put the Monarchs up 2-1 with a goal in the last minute of the quarter.
Laidlaw tallied twice more for the natural hat-trick to give Toronto a 4-1 lead. Dustin Caravello increased it to five to put the Timbermen down – but not out.
Ryan Masters replaced starter Nolan Clayton after the Monarchs went up 5-1. The switch sparked a three goal run from the Timbermen. Masters assisted on Colton Armstrong’s transition goal; Matt Crough scored from the Monarch’s doorstep; and Dan Michel brought the game back within a goal. Jordan Dance put the Monarchs up 6-4 with less than a second to go in the half.
“If not for the flow of the game I would have left Nolan in,” Sullivan said. “It was my sense that we had to do something so we put Ryan in knowing what he would do and he did exactly that and played well and made the stops when we needed them.”
The 3-11 Timbermen didn’t even think they originally made the playoffs but the ALL wanted all teams in the playoffs to show off the league in its first season. They made the most of it with their best effort of the season; shorthanded to boot.
“It was a funny situation; we thought we were out and then a couple weeks ago they changed the format so we slipped into the playoffs and made the best of it that we could,” Crough said. “It was a good matchup and the better team came out on top.”
The Timbermen were missing both Brett Coons and Broedie Birkhof, so Doug Utting and Crough took over in the face-off circle.
“Crough is one of those players that can do it all,” Sullivan praised. “He won a lot of those face-offs. He’s got a unique style about him and he gets right in there right and it’s tough for them to move him off. Everybody knows how good he is but they don’t realize how strong he also is.”
Riley Campbell, finishing a two on zero fast-break, and captain Tim Bergin tied the game at six in the third. Luke Laidlaw and Caleb Wiles traded goals for a 7-7 tie.
Toronto scored 20 and 25 seconds into the fourth but Crough, with a laser from outside, and Armstrong quickly erased that lead as they each scored their second of the game for a 9-9 tie. This, however, was where the Timbermen ran out of gas, allowing a three goal run from the Monarchs. Cody McMahon got one back for the Timbermen but the Critch scored an empty-netter to put the game out of reach.
“Our guys knew their backs were against the wall and they played like that and that was something that we hoped would happen,” Sullivan said. “This league was all about developing. There’s something to be said about us going so deep into our lineup and still being able to put together a great game like that. It says a lot about the development of this Peterborough Timbermen team.”
Defenseman Eric Shewell said the team is already looking forward to being back next season – that is, unless the NLL comes calling. And even if it doesn’t just yet, the ALL still hopes to become the official feeder league of the NLL.
“Everyone’s goal is to be in a different spot but if we end up here then we’ll keep moving forward,” Shewell said.
In addition to Birkhof and Coons, the Timbermen were missing Cam Crowe, Cam Garlin, Ryley Martinell, Brock McGillis, Pete Rennie and Travis Szabolcs. Eric Shewell left the game in the second quarter for concussion protocols after receiving a kick to the head.
Seth Laidlaw (4-1), Jordan Dance (3-3) and Jordan Critch (3-2) led the Monarchs. Craig Wende got the win in goal.
Scoring for the Timbermen:
Matt Crough (2-1)
Colton Armstrong (2-1)
Dan Michel (1-2)
Cody McMahon (1-2)
Geoff McNulty (1-1)
Tim Bergin (1-1)
Riley Campbell (1-0)
Caleb Wiles (1-0)
Joe Wasson (0-2)
Josh Wasson (0-1)
Matt Benedict (0-1)
