Chiefs Win MSL, Set Up 2023 Mann Cup Rematch!

The Six Nations Chiefs defeated the Peterborough Lakers 12-7 on Monday to win the 2025 MSL championship and advance to the Mann Cup. The victory was the third straight MSL title of the Chiefs, who are also back-to-back Mann Cup champions. 

It was the ninth championship for the Chiefs, who won their first in 1994. It’s also their first three-peat since that time, when they won in 1994, 1995 and 1996. 

The full game was broadcast live on the Darryl Smart Media YouTube channel, and can be seen below.

Dhane Smith, Josh Byrne and Ryan Smith each had 2 goals to lead the Chiefs. Dhane Smith led the playoffs in scoring by an incredible 21 points, finishing with 57 points in 9 games played in the postseason. His 26 goals were 11 more than the next closest player and his 31 points were 6 more than second place Joe Resetarits. 

Warren Hill was credited officially with 20 saves on just 27 recorded shots from the Lakers. In the Peterborough net, Drew Hutchison made 16 saves on 23 shots and Nick Rose made 14 saves on 19 shots in the losing effort. 

The Chiefs finish the season with a combined 24-3 record in Ontario. They went 16-2, with two losses to the Lakers in the regular season. They lost just one game in the playoffs, dropping game four of the MSL finals to the Lakers before winning in game five. They finished the regular season with a +86 goal differential and the playoffs with a +39 goal differential. 

The win for the Chiefs sets up a rematch of the 2023 Mann Cup against the New Westminster Salmonbellies. That series was also played at Queen’s Park Arena. 

The Salmonbellies will look a little bit different than last time however, both since their last Mann Cup and since the last time they played in the WLA. Adam Levi is reporting that Owen Grant, Elijah Gash, Marcus Klarich and Ryan Sheridan will all join the Salmonbellies, which further improves a roster that already features WLA Playoff and Regular Season leading scorer Mitch Jones, along with Will Malcom, Tyler Pace, Tye Kurtz and others. 

Of course, the Six Nations Chiefs may choose to add players as well. Graeme Hossack and Cam Wyers are both property of the Chiefs and are finished with their commitments this summer with the Utah Archers.

BC teams have won just twice since 2000, and a BC team has not won the Mann Cup since the Victoria Shamrocks did it in 2015. 

Stay tuned to LCD for more coverage of the Mann Cup, the last championship of the Canadian lacrosse season.