Dave Morgan is a big boy with a big job, and he did it very well Tuesday night.

Morgan doesn’t get paid to score goals for the New Westminster Salmonbellies. (Actually none of the Salmonbellies get paid but that shouldn’t get in the way of a good cliche.) The 6-foot-10 defender’s job is to silence the other team’s big guns, such as Colin Doyle of the Brampton Excelsiors. Morgan, along with some help, kept Doyle quiet in the second and third periods as the Salmonbellies overcame a 6-3 deficit to defeat the Excelsiors 8-7 before 2,447 spectators at Queen’s Park Arena.

The two teams headed into Game 5 of the best-of-seven Mann Cup national senior men’s lacrosse championship series Wednesday night tied 2-2. Game 6 is Friday with a seventh and deciding game, if necessary, Saturday.

Doyle scored two goals within 34 seconds to give the Excelsiors a 2-1 lead just 2:26 into the game, and then added a pair of assists as Brampton took a 4-2 first-period lead. They eventually extended it to 6-3 midway through the second. But then Morgan and the likes of Western Lacrosse Association defender of the year Ian Hawksbee, Curtis Manning and Kyle Ross went to work on Doyle and fellow snipers Josh Sanderson and Blaine Manning.

“As a team we pride ourselves on defence, it’s definitely not an individual thing, it’s a team thing. If we can hold [Doyle] to one or two goals a game, we’ll do well,” said Morgan. “We know we have to keep him off the scoresheet in order for us to win.”

The Salmonbellies admire Doyle. They’ve seen the National Lacrosse League’s leading scorer last year a lot since he’s played for the Coquitlam Adanacs in the past and led the Excelsiors in last year’s Mann Cup against New West. The other team, the Salmonbellies might suggest, he might play for is Portugal’s national soccer squad, known for its dives to attract penalties. Morgan took a high sticking minor and a major late in the first period for leveling Doyle twice within a few seconds.

“He definitely gets calls from the ref,” said Morgan.

Said Salt, “Fabulous player, dives all over the place. I don’t agree with some of the stuff he does, but he’s the best offensive player we’ve played all year. You’ve got to watch him.”

The Salmonbellies defence, however, wasn’t to Salt’s taste in the first period.

“We played terrible defence in front of [goalie Matt Roik]. I don’t care who we have in net in that first period they would have got those goals. That’s the best offensive team we’ve ever played against, and if you don’t check them properly they’re going to score on you,” said Salt.

The defence may not have been the only factor in the comeback. With both teams playing their fourth game in five nights, New West clawed back to within 6-5 by the end of the second period. With the Salmonbellies struggling to find the net, it was a nifty goal by veteran Chris Gill that got them on even terms, and they then took advantage of turnovers in the defensive zone and moved the ball up floor quickly to get goals by Peter McFetridge and Curtis Manning.

“We knew they were going to play hard the first two or three games, and the fourth one was a nasty one. We had to bring our young legs to it, and it showed,” said Gill. “It’s pretty exciting.

“We’re not overconfident or cocky by any means. We know we have to play better. You can’t play just good enough to beat this team every night. You have to play well, our shooting has to improve. Our defence seems to be clicking well, but our offence has to pick up.”

New West also got the advantage of some Queen’s Park bounces on Manning’s goal. The rookie and former Jr. ’Bellies captain ran down the floor on a shorthanded breakaway. His shot went wide but bounced off the end boards and hit Brampton backstop Anthony Cosmo and trickled in.

“He grew up in this rink. I don’t know if I agree he should have shot the ball,” said Salt

The ’Bellies bench boss believes the Salmonbellies have to shoot better than they have considering they outshot the Excelsiors 54-42 Tuesday.

“We had some anxious moments there. We got nervous at the end there, but we battled,” said Salt.

“It was a must-win for us, and it wasn’t a real urgent win for them. That’s a different level. In Game 2 they seemed to have the urgency we had in Game 1.”

The Salmonbellies have been building to this for five years now and both Morgan and Gill have been key components of the Drive for 25 Mann Cups.

“This is a chance in a lifetime. It means so much to us, to our fans and to our management. It’s hard to put into words the effort we’ve put into this,” said Morgan.

“I’ve been on team sports all my life and this is a special team to be a part of. We’re as much a team as family. We’re a team full of young guys and no names, not superstars.”

• In Game 3 on Monday, Doyle scored a controversial goal 2:44 into the second overtime to give the Brampton Excelsiors an 8-7 victory.

The win before a packed, emotionally-charged crowd of more than 3,000 was the Excelsiors’ second consecutive in OT.

Doyle burst out of the corner evading Morgan and Ross and fired the ball past Salmonbellies goalie Tyler Richards as he flew across the crease. The Salmonbellies and their fans protested vociferously, to no avail, that Doyle had stepped in the crease, which would have nullified the goal.

New West’s Cliff Smith had scored with 1:16 left in regulation for a 5-5 tie forcing the first overtime, a 10-minute session. Morgan and Jordan Hall had put the Salmonbellies ahead 7-6 in the OT, but with goalie Anthony Cosmo pulled, Brampton’s Blaine Manning scored with 49.6 seconds left to force the second sudden-death overtime.

New Westminster opened the series last Friday with a 12-9 triumph marred by a second period bench-clearing brawl following an incident in which Doyle was decked beside the crease. The ’Bellies Bob Snider was give a five-minute major for attempt to injure and five other players from both teams were also ejected following the melee. Snider was later suspended by the Canadian Lacrosse Association for three games.

On Saturday, the Excelsiors evened the series with a 13-10 win in overtime despite New Westminster holding a 5-1 lead early in the second period and being up 9-7 midway through the third.

sports@newwestnewsleader.com