The drive for 25 will have to wait until next season for the New Westminster Salmonbellies.

Instead of winning their 25th Mann Cup trophy, the title went to the Brampton Excelsiors. The Ontario champions claimed their ninth Canadian box lacrosse championship with a 9-7 overtime victory in the seventh game Saturday night in front of a soldout crowd of 3,307 at Queen’s Park Arena.

It was the fourth game in the best of seven series to go into extra time, and the fourth time Brampton prevailed.

Despite losing their second Mann Cup series in a row to the Excelsiors (a 4-0 sweep for Brampton in 2008), Salmonbellies’ coach Bob Salt took a broader view. As a series it was competitive and entertaining, he said.

“It doesn’t get any better than that,” said Salt.

“Should we have won it? Absolutely. Did they steal it? Yeah.”

Defence specialist Dave Morgan, a veteran competitor, shared that opinion.

“To be honest it feels like we’ve won seven games straight,” he said.

The Salmonbellies led almost the entire game. But the eastern visitors finally caught up to New West with just 15 seconds left on the clock.

It was one of the more bizarre game endings of the series.

With the ’Bellies ahead 7-6, the Excelsior net empty and 30 seconds left on the clock, Ilija Gajic tried to break out his own end with the ball. However, a pair of Brampton defenders caught the speedster and physically stapled Gajic to the boards, resulting in a turnover.

Brampton’s Bill Greer grabbed the lose ball and found Mike Carnegie all alone in front of the New West net. He then fired it past Salmonbellies’ goaltender Tyler Richards from close range.

The goal stunned the raucous hometown crowd into silence. Only a handful of Brampton fans seated behind their team’s bench, largely invisible until that moment, applauded the play.

“This is a team game, things happen,” said Salt when asked about the play. “Ilija is a fantastic player. He played his heart out.”

“In the world of sports those things happen. People score on themselves, lose the ball—in pro sports, every level.”

The goal deflated the faster Salmonbellies, who led by as much as three goals during the game.

Brampton scored the only two goals of overtime while New West’s offence was only able to fire outside shots at goaltender Anthony Cosmos during the extra 10 minutes.

Morgan had some words of encouragement for his teammates after the game.

“What an experience to be part of, to go seven games. And not just seven games, seven Mann Cup games. To give it your all with family. What an experience,” said the senior Morgan, whose brother Peter is one of team’s snipers.

“So it’s tough to hang your head after that.”

He gave credit to Brampton.

“They’re obviously a championship team over there. They’re well prepared and ready for every situation.”

Dan Dawson led the winners with two goals and two assists while teammates Shawn Williams (one goal, two assists) and Brodie Merrill (two goals) led the Excelsiors on the scoresheet.

Kevin Crowley’s two goals and three assists led the way for the ’Bellies and Ilija Gajic finished with two goals and two assists.

The Mike Kelly trophy, given to the most valuable player of the series, was awarded to Williams.

mmcquillan@newwestnewsleader.com