The Peterborough Timermen (3-2) picked up their first victory at Millbrook Arena with a 14-11 win over the Six Nations Snipers (0-6) on Saturday afternoon.
It was the first time this season the team felt they had their full lineup on the floor. Landon Kells returned in goal after spending some time in Calgary with the Roughnecks, and was outstanding in goal, especially in the fourth as the Snipers looked to mount a comeback with the Timbermen up 10-8.
Vaughn Harris, who made his Timbermen debut, scored his fourth goal of the game to kick start the quarter. Aaron Woods added a power play goal and Davis Prince scored on a fast break to put the hometown team up 13-8. The Snipers scored three in the period but it was Steve Bourden’s shorthanded fast-break goal, his first in the league, that was both the emotional and figurative dagger for the Snipers.
“I didn’t want to ask for the ball three years in,” Bourden chuckled. “Joe Wasson was giving me the gears about it before the game so I thought I had to prove myself a little bit in the room.”
With Mark Vradenburg out with a knee injury and Brett Coons unavailable with work commitments, it fell to Bourden to lead the team. He didn’t disappoint.
“This game was a real emotional roller coaster out there with some ebbs and flows,” he described. “Six Nations has a good, fast team that really attacked us in transition so we adjusted at the half. We showed a lot of character pulling that one out.”
The first 12 minutes of the game were back-and-forth until Justin Bragg and Ty Thompson put Peterborough up 4-2 after the first. Harris scored the first two goals of the game for the Timbermen.
“He’s a game changer. The nuances, the calmness he brings to the offense and the poise he had made our offense look like a whole new weapon. We’re a scary to see,” Bourden said of Harris.
Getting Harris was a big deal for the Timbermen, who gave up the rights to four players plus their first-round draft pick in 2020.
Harris was cut by the Buffalo Bandits during training camp this season but as he showed in his four goal, four assist performance, he still has what it takes to play pro. He and Joel Matthews, also back in the lineup, will anchor the offense as much as possible.
“I’m going to do whatever it takes to get back to the NLL and if I have to be here to show that I have what it takes I’m going to make the most of it,” Harris said. “Today was fun. I haven’t had my stick in my hands since tryouts for Buffalo but it felt good to get out there and meet new guys.”
Peterborough held a slim 6-5 lead at halftime. Six Nations tied it up 27 seconds into the third on a five-on-three power play. The teams tied again at seven before the Timbermen pulled away with three straight goals, two from Skkylar Thomas and one on the power play where he finished a nice passing sequence between Harris and Thompson.
Tye Argent and Alec Tamas led the Snipers with a hat trick each.
Peterborough is on the road visiting the Toronto Monarchs next Saturday evening at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre in Oakville at 8 p.m. They return home for a Friday evening 8 p.m. battle vs. the Whitby Steelhawks on Feburary 7th.
Scoring for the Timbermen:
Vaughn Harris (4-4)
Ty Thompson (2-3)
Skkylar Thomas (2-2)
Aaron Woods (2-0)
Joe Hall (1-3)
Justin Bragg (1-0)
Davis Prince (1-0)
Steve Bourden (1-0)
Cameron Simpson (0-3)
Joel Matthews (0-2)
Carter Badour (0-2)
Mitchell Geoffroy (0-2)
Lyman Beatty (0-1)
Zack Thompson (0-1)
Shane Francis (0-1)
