WINNIPEG – Only four wins stand between the Manitoba Blizzard and the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League championship. The Blizzard are looking to make history this weekend as they chase their first league title at the RMLL’s final four in just their sixth year in the league. That after falling short in last year’s championship series.
“We’ll get our revenge from last year.” said the Blizzard’s Andrew Szun. “I took it really hard, the loss last year so I’d be really excited to pull a W out.”
“I think we’re as good as anybody.” said head coach Trevor Anyon. “I’m cautiously optimistic. We got a good team and we’re ready to rock and roll.”
The Blizzard opened the season back in May when some of their key players were still at college. But after players returned from the United States, the Blizzard have won 15 of their last 16 games and they enter the final four in Calgary riding a nine-game win streak after sweeping the defending champion Saskatchewan Swat last weekend.
“Beginning of the season was a little rough.” said Blizzard leading scorer Kelson Borisenko. “Then we got all our guys back from college and stuff and we started to find our stride, and build chemistry throughout the team from the top to bottom. Yeah a perfect time to peak right before playoffs.”
“We’re looked at being an underdog but I really think we’re going to come out and surprise some of the better teams.” said Szun.
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The Blizzard have been lead by the 19-year-old Borisenko who has a scholarship to play for division one Manhattan College starting in the fall.
“It’s been a real good year.” Borisenko said. “I’m fortunate, found the back of the net a few times.”
That would be a serious understatement. He lead the league in scoring with an incredible 56 goals and 106 points in just 20 regular season games. That’s almost an average of a hat trick per game and he still has another year of eligibility remaining.
“He’s an incredible athlete.” said Anyon. “One of the things that you don’t see in the stat page is his durability. Not a big guy, never missed a practice, never missed a game, which I don’t think anyone else can say on our squad and of course his offence is off the charts.”
The Blizzard along with the Calgary Chill, the Calgary Shamrocks and the Red Deer Rampage all qualified for the final four. The Blizzard’s first game is on Friday night against the Rampage, a team they didn’t face in the regular season.
WATCH: Manitoba Blizzard prepare for RMLL final four