Game fucking 7 of the Mann Cup was played Saturday night, between the Lakers and the Thunder, and yours truly was in attendance as I have season tickets with a friend. We sit almost dead centre just a few rows from the top of the lower bowl. They are great seats. Twas another sold out arena. Game 6’s attendance was 4,008, but for game seven it was 3,941. I guess the boxes must have had an extra 60 or so people in them. Also funny, is that they sold out of 50-50 tickets. Game 6’s 50-50 pot was just over $6,000, but for game 7 it was just over $3,200. This just feels like bad planning to me, but what do I know. And I’m sure our lottery laws are stoopid and are a limiting factor here. I did not win the 50-50, nor do I ever expect to, as that’s not my kind of luck.

Langley went with the same line up as game 6. While for the Lakers Thomas Hoggarth is back in the lineup. My sources aka the Peterborough rumoUr mill, say that he’s got a bad shoulder, but was able to play. And Shawn Evans was literally a game time decision as we watched him with the doctor and trainer testing out his leg in warmup. That right leg was all taped up, but weird to me. Started above the ankle and ended mid calf. Whatever it was, he was not able to go and was scratched with under 5 minutes before the game started.

On to the game:
First period:
Langley got out to a quick lead with Connor Robinson putting one past Matt Vinc at about 90 seconds into the game. Things would be quiet on the scoreboard until 6 minutes of game time had elapsed and then there was a flurry of goals from both teams to end the period 7-5 for Peterborough. Frankie Scigliano was pulled for a few minutes with about 7 minutes left in the period. He was replaced in net my Steven Fryer. And his nickname is Deep.

Second period
Mark Matthews would open the scoring in the second. A pretty goal about 25 seconds into the period. From there is was a 4 goal run by Langley, powered by 2 goals from Curtis Dickson, to make the score 9-8 Langley with just over 3 minutes to play in the period. Cory Vitarelli would get the equaliser for the Lakers before the period ended to tie the score at 9.

Third period
Thomas Hoggarth opened the scoring for the Lakers 2 minutes in with this beauty goal.

In the first Mann Cup Game 7 in 13 years, it was @PtboLakersLax who emerged victorious for their fourth straight 🏆 !

Holden Cattoni led the way offensively, with 3G, 6A.
pic.twitter.com/iBDOkrFTwn

— Inside Lacrosse (@Inside_Lacrosse) September 18, 2022

Then Joe Resetarites would add another 36 seconds later. Cory Vittarelli would score again for Lakers with about 15 minutes left in the period for a 12-9 Laker lead.  While still plenty of game to be played, the crowd really got into the game and you could almost see the desperation in Langley’s play.  They were forcing shots and not setting up the offence to try to get the 2 man game going.  Holden Cattoni added an empty net goal to seal the Laker victory.  Matt Vinc and the Laker defence shut out the Langley team for over 20 minutes.  13-9 is your final, and a Peterborough series win.

The Mann Cup being present to Laker captain Robert Hope

Robert Church had two goals and 5 assists to lead the Thunder. Connor Robinson had 3 goals and 2 assists. Curtis Dickson chipped in with 2 goals and 3 assists.

Holden Cattoni lead the Lakers with 3 goals and 6 assists. Joe Resetarits has 2 goals and 4 assists. Mark Matthews and Cory Vittarelli both had 3 goals and 2 assists.

Holden Cattoni and Curtis Dickson were the players of the game.

Curtis Dickson also was awarded the Mike Kelly Trophy for the series MVP. That’s the first time since 1988 that a visiting player has been named MVP. In the post series handshake line, almost every Laker player and coach had a hug and some words with him.

This makes it 4 straight Mann Cups for Peterborough. This ties the Peterborough Timberman with 4 straight wins. There is another team, the 1920-1925 New Westminster Salmonbellies, that won six straight, but that was back when this was still a field lacrosse thing and not a box lacrosse thing. So, does that count? Not sure. Totally up for debate. But 4 straight wins is simply amazing and should put them up there in the dynasty kinda area of teams.

The Mann Cup will be played out West next year, the WLA Champ will host. I’m willing to go and report on the Mann Cup again, just need a little bit of money for air fare and hotel and food, like all of it. Any one willing to donate to the “fly and house and feed GTD” fund?

Series won by Peterborough 4-3 ( or 5-2 as my season ticket holder buddy says, lol)
Game 1: Friday, September 9th at 8:00PM 16-9 Langley
Game 2: Saturday, September 10th at 7:00PM 15-14 Langley
Game 3: Monday, September 12th at 8:00PM 12-6 Peterborough
Game 4: Tuesday, September 13th at 8:00PM 15-12 Peterborough
Game 5: Wednesday, September 14th at 8:00PM 10-5 Peterborough
Game 6: Friday, September 16th at 8:00PM 9 -4 Langley
Game 7: Saturday, September 17th at 7:00PM 13-9 Peterborough

For those interested, all games replays are here.

Research came from here