The Stickmen Finally Notch Their First Win

Burnaby, July 5, 2007 - The Stickmen playing Burnaby for the fourth time this season, finally got the job done. An impressive first period, the stickmen were up 5-0, as they peppered the Burnaby Goaltender. Goals by Ryan Rawlings and Colton Porter on the power play, Jonathan Rakic tallied a short handed goal.

Goals by Jackson Decker and Scott Constable finished off the period. The second period caught the Stickmen off guard with Burnaby scoring 3 goals early in the period, but Tom Seeman of the Stickmen scored the only second period goal to end the period up 6-4.

The Stickmen came out and scored 2 quick goals from Tyler Voisey and Ryan Rawlings early in the third. But the Lakers fought back, as the Stickmen got into penalty trouble. With 6 seconds left the Lakers evened the score forcing overtime.

The mighty Stickmen stuck to their game plan, with end to end action and stellar goaltending by Devon Winter finally sent Tom Seeman on a break away nailing the top corner to get the sudden death overtime victory. Good defensive play finally paid off with just enough offense gave the Stickmen a great deal of confidence as they meet the Shamrocks on Saturday and the Salmon Bellies on Monday.

Poco Offense Carved Holes In Stickmen Defense

Surrey BC, June 11/07 - A struggling Poco team walked into North Surrey Arena and put on a tremendous display of offensive firepower that in the end was just too much for the Stickmen defense.

The first period was a struggle by both teams and hot goal tending kept the game in check. After Poco scored first it wasn't until the 7 minute mark that the Stickmen got on the board when Jackson Dekker scored on the power play to even it up. From there it was all Poco for the remainder of the period when they added three more including one on the man advantage to finish the first with a 4-1 lead.

The Stickmen picked up their game a little in the second thanks to some special teams production. James Clift scored on a break away while Brent Manushewski scored on the power play. The third Stickmen goal of the period came from call up Colton Hayes who scooped in a loose ball from in front of the net. Poco, always one step ahead, managed four of their own including one on the short man as well as the power play. The score at the end of the second was Poco up 8-4.

The Poco offense continued to out run and out pass the Stickmen in the third. Colton Porter scored the lone Stickmen goal putting in a loose ball from in front of tender Cambrey. The Saints added another two to finish off Surrey with a score of 11-5

Top scores for Poco were Jone with a hat trick and Davis with two. Cambrey stopped 33 shots for Poco while Graham Chandler stood on his head at times stopping 34 quality shots for Surrey.

Surrey Stickmen Intermediate A's best effort to date

Surrey BC, June 3/07 - The Stickmen knew it would be a tough game against the leagues top scoring team. That didn't matter to the Surrey who have been showing improvement over those last two games, losing to Nanaimo by 3 and then New West by only 2.

First period action had the Stickmen scoring first, James Clift from Tyler Voisey. The Stickmen were tough defensively keeping all of the Shamrock shots to the outside. Goalie Devon Winter was very solid in net turning away 15 of the 1st period shots. The period ended 3 to 2 for the Rock. A much better effort than the 16 - 6 loss 2 weeks ago to the same team.

The second period, usually their worst of the three for the Stickmen, turned into a dominating affair for Surrey who systematically and very patiently scored 3 goals thanks to Jonathan Rakic, Colton Porter and Josh Barnes who scored for the Stickmen. Shutting out the Shamrocks allowed the Stickmen to go ahead in the game 5 - 3.

The effort to this point of the game was unbelievable, everyone had stepped up his play. In the third period, the Rock came within 1 but Intermediate 'B' call up Scott Constable from Port Moody gave the Stickmen a 2-goal lead at the 14th minute mark. The Rock appeared crumbled when Scott scored his second to give the home team a 7 - 4 lead with 6 minutes remaining. However, the Rock with the leagues top scorers answered back at 4 minutes then at 2 minutes by pulling their goalie for the extra attacker. The Stickmen had some open net chances but just missed the net.

With the Stickmen leading 7 to 6 with seconds remaining, the Rock in one last effort managed to sneak 1 past Devon Winter with only 12 seconds remaining forcing sudden death overtime.

With less then two minutes into the overtime Victoria's Cody Bremner scored his third of the day and the game winner. Some could say it was the luck of the Irish on this day.

This was by far the best effort to date for the Stickmen, even though they had the victory in their hands, they proved to themselves that they can beat the top teams in this league. "The boys just earned a great deal of respect in the league", says Coach Ken. Coach Wayne Decker, his first game on the bench, made the boys believe in themselves by playing as a team. "There is a lot of talent on this team, playing as a team is crucial, I'm very excited with the turnaround." says Coach Wayne.

Devon Winters played some of his best lacrosse in net for the Stickmen where he stopped 42 shots on the day while Rob McAllen stopped 31 on the day.

Next game is at home at North Surrey Arena where the Stickmen face the sixth place Poco Saints.

Stickmen Come Close In Battle With Nanaimo

May 27, 2007 Surrey, BC

It was a battle for the basement as the Stickmen took on the visiting Timbermen from Nanaimo. The Stickmen came out fast and were able to grab a quick 7-4 lead at the end of the first in part to a very successful set of power plays.

Early in the second Justin Harwood put one in from the top to give the Stickmen their biggest lead of the night before the Timbermen came storming back with four consecutive goals to tie the game thanks in part to some Surrey penalties. Jonathon Rakic popped another in for Surrey before the Timbermen again added three straight. Jackson Dekker rounded out the second with a goal by cutting through the middle to leave the Stickmen down 10-11 after two.

The third period remained a defensive struggle with both teams showing some outstanding goal tending. Colton Porter rolled one in while lying on the floor in front of the net to give the Stickmen what would be their last goal of the night. The Timbermen then kept Surrey off the board and added three of their own including an empty netter to walk away with a 14-11 victory leaving Surrey still in last place.

Coquitlam Speed Too Much For Stickmen

May 7, 2007 Surrey BC

Both teams battled hard in the first period with neither having success scoring. Surrey controlled most of the first period out shooting the visiting Adanacs until five minutes left when Coquitlam got things going putting two on the board. James Clift responded for Surrey a few minutes later giving the Stickmen their first of the night before Coquiltlam retaliated to end the first with a 3-1 lead.

In the second period the action on the floor took off with the Adanacs lighting up the score board scoring three more on Graham Chandler before he was replaced with Devon Winters in net. Coquitlam changed keepers at the same time and the game atmosphere changed with the Adanacs filling the penalty box.

The Stickmen took advantage on the power plays and put three more shots between the pipes in an effort to keep pace with Coquitlam. At the end of a fast paced second period the score was 10 - 4 for the Adanacs.

The third period the Stickmen started to gel as a team, pooling the individual talent and taking advantage of the continued man advantage offered to them. Clawing their way back the Stickmen managed to finish the game winning the third period and ending with a respectable 14-9 loss.

The Stickmen Intermediates travel to Victoria where they take on the Shamrocks on Saturday May 12th.

April 22, 2007 - Hard Work By Stickmen Finally Pays Off With Win

A little tired from the game the night before, the Stickmen came out running against Burnaby. It was a defensive battle till the Lakers talied the first goal. The Stickmen answered back with a goal of their own by Justin Harwood, assisted by Nigel Philips. Shortly before the end of the first period Chase Porter put one past the Burnaby Tender. Most of the loose balls were won by the Stickmen with Chris Schinkel, Lukkas Bailey and Colton Porter showing super human efforts.

Burnaby tied it up at two later in the second period in what was a fierce defensive struggle with both goalies playing at the top of their game. In the third period the stickmen went down 2-3 on a Burnaby goal. The stickmen tied it on Chase Porter's 2nd of the game. Chase and his brother Colton faked a hand off pass at the top of the circle with Chase hiding the ball and Colton pretending he had it. The goalie went with Colton which left Chase with an open net to score on.

The two teams battled hard to get the game winner. Late into the last period Burnaby took a penalty and the Stickmen went into a shooting frenzy but failed to beat the Burnaby tender. With just seconds left in the game, Jackson Decker fought his way across the crease, repeatedly faking the goalie and finally saw something to shoot at, scoring with 1/10 of a second left in the game. The bench erupted for the Stickmen's first victory. Again Devon Winter was spectacular in goal stopping 30 tough shots.

"Winning the loose balls was the difference today. The young men are starting to get to know each other and are really showing positive results. The true test will be in the home opener this Monday against this same Burnaby team. I guarantee it will be a great game by two evenly matched teams." Says Coach Ken Polson.

April 21, 2007 - The Surrey Stickmen Intermediate 'A' Kick Off Season With Two Exhibition Games.

The newly assembled team played their debut game against the New Westminster Salmon Bellies Saturday night. The fast paced game was exciting with a lot of intensity shown by both teams. It was early in the first period when New West scored the first goal, followed by their second 3 minutes later. Half way through the period speedy Justin Harwood notched Surrey's first goal on a breakway. The period ended with New West up 2-1.

The second period was very entertaining with the stickmen scoring 2 powerplay goals, Brennen Law from Brett Matushewski and James Clift . And another powerplay goal Brett Matushewski off a rebound. James Clift added another and Mitch Steele was at the end of a very fast breakout pass from Tyler Voisey and Brett Matushewski to go in alone on the NW goalie beating him on the top right corner.

The Stickmen finished the period down 8 to 5. New West out scored the Stickmen 2 - 0 to finish the game 10 to 5 for the Bellies. Devon Winters was stellar in net stopping 54 shots.

"I was very impressed with the effort tonight, in fact I was very pleased by the play of Brennen Law, Jonathan Rakic and Colton Porter. We need to work on our team play and break some bad habits. The players on this team come from 8 different associations throughout the lower mainland. They are playing together for the first time and it will take time to get to know each other" says Coach Ken Polson.

On Sunday the Stickmen Intermediates traveled to Burnaby where they continued their intensity and showed that they had the desire for the win. Both goalies, Devon Winters in net for the Stickmen as well as Burnaby's Barney, played outstanding and kept the scoring down.

Surrey controlled much of the game while dominating the loose balls and in the end the Stickmen pulled off the win thanks a tremendous effort by the players.