Nickel City lacrosse season gets underway

Week two of the local lacrosse season, and the Carmichael Arena was hopping, with a couple of very tight games keeping fans entertained.

In the bantam matchup, Kaleb Muzzi netted a pair of goals, scoring early on a breakaway and adding a late insurance marker as the Roughnecks outlasted the Stealth 3-1.

A second period goal from Giordano Biondi had temporarily pulled the Stealth even, but Logan Craig worked off a near-perfect pick from one his teammates to score the game-winning goal.

While the Roughnecks enjoyed the better of the scoring chances, rep goaltender Ethan Harris was helping to keep them at bay, giving Muzzi and his teammates a little something to think about in trying to find a chink in the armour.

"I was looking for the side that he was mostly on, so I could shoot on the other side," said Muzzi. "One time it worked, but he (Harris) was quick on his feet, I have to give him that."

Coming right on the heels of his season of competitive hockey, Muzzi, like so many others, is rapidly adjusting his game. "You're not shooting on the ground anymore, so you have to adjust the lacrosse stick enough to get the right angle to shoot."

Joining a boatload of familiar faces from the hockey rinks, Muzzi acknowledges that he plays lacrosse mostly for fun. "I like it because between hockey seasons, I get my fitness in and get to run around a lot," he said.

The peewee encounter that preceded the evening finale proved to be equally as close, as the Rush edged the Rock 7-6. Sam McCue recorded the hat-trick to lead the way for the winners, with Korbyn Payne (2),Joel Duval and Logan Faught also chipping in offensively.

Brandon Salem matched McCue, goal for goal, in a losing cause, with Mason Lachance adding a pair and Easton Hinschberger rounding things off.

Action continues, Monday through Thursday, at the Carmichael, Coniston and McClelland (Copper Cliff) Arenas.