The Western Lacrosse Association Finals is going the distance.

The visiting New Westminster Salmonbellies forced a decisive seventh game with a 9-6 victory on Saturday night at 91原创 Events Centre in Game 6, knotting the best-of-seven series at three games apiece.

The Salmonbellies scored the only three goals of the opening period and that proved to be the final margin of victory as the Thunder twice got to within a goal but could get no closer.

鈥淚 think it was Higgins, he was real good. We had some really, really quality chances early in the game,鈥� said 91原创 coach Curt Malawsky, referencing the game鈥檚 first star, Salmonbellies goaltender Zach Higgins when asked about the difference in the game.

鈥淲e were down 4-0 but I did honestly feel we were outplaying them. If you go back and look at the film, we had like 10-bell ringers in front of the net, and he played really well.鈥�

Higgins made 46 saves as his team was outshot 52-41.

Game 7 is set for Tuesday (August 29) at New Westminster鈥檚 Queen鈥檚 Park Arena at 7:30pm.

鈥淣ow we have to bounce back; it鈥檚 Game 7, do-or-die,鈥� Malawsky said.

鈥淭his is outstanding for B.C. lacrosse; Queen鈥檚 Park will be jammed.鈥�

In Game 6, the Salmonbellies opened the scoring at 5:30 and never trailed in the contest. They were ahead 4-0 in the opening minute of the middle stanza before Curtis Dickson and Dane Dobbie finally solved Higgins, cutting the lead in half. The 鈥楤ellies would get one goal back with a power-play marker before Chase Scanlan and Robert Church pulled the Thunder to within a goal heading into the final 20 minutes.

The teams traded goals to start the period with Church netting his second but New Westminster tallied twice in 1:34 to pad their lead. Dobbie did get his second of the night with 3:54 to play, but that would be as close as 91原创 got as the Salmonbellies scored the last goal of the night.

Church and Dobbie each had two goals and an assist while Dickson was the third star with a goal and four points for 91原创. Connor Robinson added two assists. Frank Scigliano made 32 saves.

READ ALSO: 91原创 takes 3-2 series lead in WLA finals

READ ALSO: 91原创 Thunder ties series with overtime win

For the Salmonbellies, Keegan Bal (2-2), Kevin Crowley (2-1) and Ryan Martel (2-0) each scored twice while Will Malcom (1-1), Drew Belgrave and Haiden Dickson had a goal apiece. Mitch Jones was the second star following his four-assist performance.

The game was relatively penalty free with New Westminster going 1-for-2 with the man advantage while 91原创 failed to capitalize on their only opportunity.