Don鈥檛 look now, but the Grizzlies are getting hot at the right time.
After a painful nine-game losing streak in the middle portion of the season, the Grizzlies have won three in a row, defeating each of the other three teams in the Arena Lacrosse League West division in the process.
READ ALSO: After nine losses in a row, Grizzlies get two wins in Arena Lacrosse League action
The most recent victory came on Wednesday (March 13) at 91原创 Events Centre as they posted a 12-11 overtime win over the Black Fish, never trailing in the contest, as they improved to 5-9 with one game to go in the regular season.
Black Fish 鈥� with a four-minute power play in the final minute of regulation 鈥� scored with less than eight seconds to play to extend the game, and while still enjoying the man advantage, they had a chance at the winner, but instead it was the Grizzlies鈥� Nash Moog scooping up a loose ball and scoring on a breakaway.
鈥淚t was tough at the start,鈥� admitted Kyle Brunsch about the losing streak which erased a 2-1 start to the season for the team. 鈥淏ut once the games started getting closer, we knew we were on the right track.鈥�
He was referencing the team鈥檚 final five games of that losing streak where the defeats came by a combined six goals.
Brunsch has been a big reason for the team鈥檚 turnaround as he scored four times and finished with five points in the overtime win and this marked his seventh-straight multi-goal game and he has found the back of the net 26 times in that span.
鈥淭he chemistry is hitting on cylinders right now. Everyone is playing for each other; we are all working hard for each other, and I am just finishing my chances,鈥� he said about not only his individual success but also the team finding its stride.
鈥淲e are coming together as a team just in time for playoffs.鈥�
Nothing better than looking back at photos from a big win!
鈥� Grizzlies Lacrosse Club (@Grizzlies_ALL)
In Wednesday鈥檚 win, the Grizzlies 鈥� who never trailed 鈥� were ahead 10-7 early in the fourth quarter before the Black Fish struck for four of the next five goals to extend the game beyond 60 minutes.
While Brunsch led the way with his four-goal game, goaltender Brayden Wandler was stellar in net as his team was outshot 63-48. Sekawnee Baker (2-1), Pearson Willis (1-3), Drew Kask (1-2), Brian Smith (1-1), Dylan McCormick (1-0) and Moog (1-0) had the rest of the offence. Brunsch and Willis were the first and third stars on the night, respectively.
For the Black Fish, Chase McIntyre was the second star with a three-goal, six-point game while Ethan M鈥橪ot (2-3) and Connor Watson (2-2) both had two-goal outings. Josh Mills and Brian Gillis each had a goal and two assists while Laszlo Henning (1-1) and Connar Abrams (1-0) rounded out the scoring. Dave Mather stopped 36 of 48 shots.
READ ALSO: After a slow start, Eagles come back to beat Spray
ALL West regular season wraps up on Sunday, March 17, with the Black Fish (6-8) playing the Sea Spray (8-6) at 1 p.m. followed by the Shooting Eagles (9-5) and the Grizzlies (5-9) at 4 p.m.
