Burlington Blaze Eliminate Peterborough Lakers From Playoff Contention
The biggest trade of the OJLL deadline occurred between the Burlington Blaze and Peterborough Lakers. On Wednesday night all those players (including both starting goaltenders) dressed against their former club for the first time since. In the end, the Blaze and Deacan Knott bested Cole Gervais and the Lakers 12-7, officially eliminating Peterborough from playoff contention.
The teams went back and forth through the first half of the opening period. Following Ty English’s goal to put Burlington up 3-2, the home-side Blaze were called for too many players. Tom Collins scored just 17 seconds into the power play, kicking off a three-goal run in 2:51 leading to a Lakers 5-4 lead.
Zach Thompson quickly tied the score in the opening minute of the second. As the teams traded goals again, this time it was Burlington’s turn for a three-goal streak. Following Will MacLeod’s thirtieth goal of the season, Knott hit Andrew Vradenburg with a stretch pass to score in transition. Thompson ended the period, with Knott assisting on his second of the game as well, with Burlington leading 9-7.
After scoring two more in the third, Burlington was able to kill off a five-minute major penalty. Former Laker, Ben Trumble followed the kill with his twentieth goal of the season, capping a 12-7 win for the Blaze.
Alex Marinier finished the night with his eleventh hat trick of the season (in 19 games). He now has 49 goals, which leads the OJLL – two ahead of Toronto’s Matt Collison. The English brothers, Ty (1 goal, 4 assists) and Brooks (2 goals, 3 assists) also had five points.
Five different Lakers had three points, but their only multi-goal scorer was Tom Collins (2 goals, 1 assist).
Burlington’s final game is July 8 at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre against the Oakville Buzz (12-6). Should Oakville defeat the Toronto Beaches July 6, that game could determine second place heading into the playoffs. Burlington won the first matchup with Oakville 11-8.
Peterborough will close out their 2023 season trying to play spoiler in Whitby (8-11) July 7, and at home against the Mimico Mountaineers (10-7) July 10.
