The 2014 Mann Cup — which symbolizes Canadian Senior A lacrosse supremacy — will be a rematch of last season’s battle for the national championship.
Only this time, the Victoria Shamrocks are hoping for a different outcome as they venture east against the defending champion Six Nations Chiefs, who won last year’s crown in six games at The Q Centre in Colwood.
The Chiefs guaranteed their trip back with a Major Series Lacrosse title on Sunday night, scoring six unanswered goals in the third period to defeat the Peterborough Lakers 9-5 in Game 7 of the eastern championship.
“Their roster has not changed a lot from last year,” Shamrocks head coach Bob Heyes said of the Chiefs. “Probably their biggest addition is Jeff Shattler, which is pretty ironic.”
Shattler is a former Shamrock, who left the local club to play back east.
“The nice thing is we have a pretty good idea of who they are, who their personnel is and how they play. I’m happy about that aspect of the series,” said Heyes, who led the Shamrocks to the Western Lacrosse Association title on Wednesday, closing out Maple Ridge in five games.
The best-of-seven Mann Cup series starts on Friday at Iroquois Lacrosse Arena in Hagersville, Ont., about 40 kilometres southwest of Hamilton, and continues on Saturday. Sunday will be an off day before action resumes Monday through Wed., Sept. 10, for Games 3, 4 and, if necessary, Game 5.
Should Games 6 and 7 be required they would be played Sept. 12 and 13. Game times are yet to be established.
The Chiefs will be the favourites not only because they are defending champs, but because the east has claimed the last eight Mann Cups and the last time a western team has won in Ontario was in 1986 when the New Westminster Salmonbellies defeated the Brooklin Redmen.
“It’s going to take some luck — it’s been 28 years since a team from the west has brought one back,” said Heyes. “I think time is due. The law of averages has to work out some time.”
mannicchiarico@timescolonist.com
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