With an 11-9 win over the Nanaimo Timbermen, the Delta Islanders have clinched home-floor advantage for the first round of the playoffs, doing so against the team they are likely to meet.
Saturday’s victory at home in the Sungod Arena improved Delta’s record to 10-8 in the B.C. Junior A Lacrosse League standings, nine points up on the 5-11-1 Timbermen who have just four games remaining. The Islanders are in fourth place, three points back of the Victoria Shamrocks while Nanaimo sits in fifth, tied with the 5-12-1 Langley Thunder.
Eli McLaughlin with two goals, and Jonathan Phillips and Chase Fraser with one each lifted Delta to a 4-1 lead after one period, but Nanaimo outscored the home team 6-3 in the middle frame to draw even 7-7 after 40 minutes. Fraser, McLaughlin and Taylor Northway were the Islanders goal scorers.
In the final period, McLaughlin added two more goals to finish with five in the game, and lifted Delta into a 9-7 advantage. Alex Morghese notched the winning goal with three minutes left, and Fraser tallied his third of the game with 97 seconds to go.
Delta will host the 2-14-1 Port Coquitlam Saints next Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Sungod, then travel to Nanaimo Sunday evening for a rematch with the Timbermen. Their season wraps up July 5 with a home game against the Thunder.