Tempers getting shorter as Chiefs near another Mann Cup triumph

HAGERSVILLE, Ont. - Billy Dee Smith added a new element to his game after doing his usual demolition job on opposition forwards.

The burly defenceman scored an empty-net goal with 6.6 seconds remaining to cap a 9-7 Six Nations victory over the Maple Ridge Burrards on Tuesday night that gave the Chiefs a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven Canadian senior lacrosse championship series. They hope to celebrate a third Mann Cup triumph in four years Wednesday night.

The Burrards, who have an attack that is in constant motion, are giving the more experienced Chiefs all they can handle.

“It’s definitely a grind,” says Smith. “It’s what you like to think the Mann Cup is about: no team blowing out another team, every shift means something, and it shows at the end of the game because both teams are exhausted. They definitely have the best offence we’ve seen this year.”

And superb goaltending supplied by Frankie Scigliano to boot. But the Chiefs’ Dillon Ward matched Sciglinano's effort in Game 4 in blanking the Burrards for the last 17 minutes to allow the Chiefs to pull out the win.

There were strongly-worded declarations on the floor when the teams lined up for the game MVP awards. After four games in five nights, feuds are brewing.

“Guys are starting to get sick of each other,” says Smith. “That’s the way it should be. I don’t like them right now.”

Burrards star Ben McIntosh was felled by Smith’s stick near the end. No penalty was assessed against the six-foot-three checker from St. Catharines.

“It should have been a diving penalty,” Smith said, with a chuckle.

His empty-net goal came on the only shot the stay-at-home defender has taken on net this summer. To the Burrards, that was particularly irksome. But McIntosh took the high road when asked about Smith’s aggressiveness.

“He’s a hard guy to get around,” McIntosh said. “He works hard. We’ve got to set some picks on him. It’s tough. You’re not going to run through him, that’s for sure. He’s got a lot of weight on all of us. He’s a big strong guy so you’ve got to find other ways to get by him.”

Maple Ridge coach Rob Williams also took a diplomatic tone.

"I’m proud of my guys,” he said. “We’re battling through a few things right now. People watching probably know exactly what I’m talking about. I’ll just leave it at that.”

Smith, who sat out the first two games due to a wonky left knee, was presented with the game ball the Chiefs award in the dressing room as assistant coach John Tavares offered some adjectives.

“It was probably his first goal in three or four years,” said Kilgour. “J.T. was teasing him about shooting 100 per cent this year. It was great having Billy get that one at the end.”

McIntosh’s third goal of the night gave Maple Ridge a 7-6 lead early in the third period. Randy Staats tied it with his second at 6:13, Dan Dawson put the Chiefs up 8-7 at 8:06, and Smith’s empty-netter closed it out. That one can be considered the turning point since it was anybody’s game for 19 minutes and 53 seconds.

“We hit three or four pipes and if those drop it’d be a much different score,” said Staats. “We’re getting our shots, we’re getting our looks. We’ve just got to bury them.”

What will Kilgour’s message be to his players going into Game 5?

“Look back one round. (Peterborough) was up 3-0 and we won that series. Things can go south pretty quick. We haven’t won anything yet. I’m going to do my best to have the guys ready but we all know you don’t get the fourth win easily. We have to be ready to play 60 minutes, maybe 70, maybe 80. Who knows?”

The Burrards are convinced they can extend the series.

“There’s a lot of heart in our room,” says McIntosh. “A few bounces our way and maybe we get (to win) one of those games. We can’t look back at that. We’ve got to keep moving forward. We’re down 3-1. We’re fighting for our lives. They’re a really good team but, hopefully, we’ll get the ball and put it into the empty net (Wednesday night).”

Regarding the post-game Game 4 exchanges, Williams said “there were some classless things said.”

“I’m sure that could be said both ways. It’s what happens in a seven-game series played this tight and this tough. That doesn’t affect anyone, I don’t think.”