The St. Catharines Athletics rode the home crowd to a 13-9 overtime victory over the Raiders Lacrosse Club in Game Two of the 2025 Minto Cup at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines.
Chuck Rawson led all scorers in the game with 2 goals and 4 assists, while Jameson Bucktooth had 3 goals and 2 assists. Defender Josh Ford, who earlier in the week was named the OJLL Transition Player of the Year, added 2 goals and 2 assists. It was a balanced scoring effort for the Raiders who got three points each from Carson Bowley, Cash Frijters and Wyatt Viste.
What a roller coaster of emotions and styles of play, as the Garden City was treated to a thriller in its first Minto appearance since 2003. Huge scoring runs and brilliant finishes around the cage would be the theme on Saturday night. The back and forth affair would lead us to extra time and what other way would you hope to finish Day 1 at the Minto Cup.
Raiders Jump Out Early
The game would open with a quick four goal run by the Raiders, three of the four coming from well out, on looks the Athletics goaltenders would want to have back. In the first half of the game, the Raiders did a great job of getting loose balls in the offensive zone to extend possessions.
An early turning point in the game came at 4-0, with the Raiders dominating and the Athletics looking a bit lost. Head Coach Steve Toll called a timeout to light into his team, and St. Catharines looked like a different team after that. They got some great transition plays from Josh Ford and Ari Steenhuis that got the home crowd into it that started an extended Athletics run.
Athletics Offence Finds Their Rhythm
After a month off, it’s always the offence that’s the most difficult to get going, but the Athletics found their rhythm fairly quickly after a rough few minutes. Early on, the Raiders were doubling really well and forcing the Athletics offence up high. Eventually though the A’s started to spread the floor better and the scoreboard would turn. Some terrific two man game work from Jameson Bucktooth and off the ball wizardry from Chuck Rawson were two of the key ingredients to a massive 9-2 run that would give the A’s a 9-5 lead early in the third.
Raiders Make Third Period Run
It would be the Raiders outside shooting that would pull them back in after a sequence of stops from Tommy Wood (who despite the higher goal total was very strong in this one). The fact that they even got to overtime was a testament to the play of Wood, even if the eventual tally was 13 goals.
Cash Frijters and Dylan Beliveau would snipe in a few and as you should know by now, the Raiders love to dial in from distance. The lack of the Athletics ability to close out on shooters and get on hands would send the game into OT.
OT!
When the game went to overtime, you have to wonder if fatigue became a factor. The Athletics are fresh as could be after the long break and the Raiders are coming off a seven-game series and cross-country travel.
In the end the Athletics just kept getting to the inside of the floor and creating quality chances and that would be enough to go on a run in overtime and secure their first Minto Cup victory since 2003. The Minto is using Lacrosse Canada overtime rules, so it’s the full ten minutes rather than sudden victory, hence the 4-goal win.
That now sets us up for two large matchups for tomorrow with the early game Northmen (1-0) taking on the Raiders (0-1) and the host Athletics (1-0) matching up with the Adanacs (0-1) in the evening.Â
Three Stars
#1. Chuck Rawson (STC)
Always dangerous when the ball swings cutting off defenders back or into the middle and filthy hands. He epitomizes how offence should be played.
#2. Jameson Bucktooth (STC)
Bucktooth scored some clutch goals and has a deep bag of tricks around the net. He needs to keep scoring all week for St. Catharines
#3. Tommy Wood (RAI)
The quality of shots he faced was really high and gave his team a chance to come back late. Even early on in the game made some ten-bell saves to help his team to the early lead.
Unsung Hero
Josh Ford (STC): This guy was an absolute bull transitioning the ball and showed incredible speed and floor awareness to push the pace when needed. Really helped bring the building alive and collected FOUR points through his efforts.