The Prince Albert Predators are one win away from perfection.
Prince Albert took Game 1 of the Prairie Gold Lacrosse League (PGLL) final 10-7 over the Swift Current Wolverines on Saturday night in Swift Current.
Head coach Lucas Wells says the start for the Predators was a little rocky, but they were able to settle in and play their brand of lacrosse.
“I thought we started a little slow, (it was) 4-4 after the first. Second period, we locked it down defensively and then in the third period we got into some penalty trouble and our defense again, came up huge, (Mason) Hawkes came up huge, overall it was just a great team win.”
It was the fourth time Prince Albert has defeated Swift Current this season. The Predators have won their last five meetings with the Wolverines dating back to the 2023 PGLL Final.
Wells says the familiarity they have with Swift Current helps when it comes to their gameplan.
“It’s difficult to continuously beat a team. They’re constantly going to change things up. They know our game, they know our systems. But in the same breath, we also know their systems. We know their game, we know the type of team they are. We’ve been able to hold off all season long and improve our dominance and we’re going to look to do that again at home on Saturday.”
After the game was tied 4-4 after the first period, the Predators took control in the second scoring the only three goals of the frame with two from Brayden Rieger and one from Koltin Fyrk.
Both teams would score three times in the third period, but it could’ve been worse for Prince Albert. The Predators ran into penalty trouble in the final frame with seven penalties called against the team in the final twenty minutes.
After playing some games earlier this season against Tier I teams in an attempt to play for the Founders’ Cup, Wells says that experience proved to be crucial for the Predators during Game 1.
“I think it paid off huge dividends. I think that the adversity we faced in Regina against Queen City in game two of that Founders’ Cup playoffs where they kind of smothered us. They took control of everything. I thought it was huge for us when we went down on the penalty kill a bunch, that we didn’t fold our tent, so to speak. We battled back, fought the adversity, and we came up successful.”
The series will now shift back to Prince Albert for Game 2 and 3 (if necessary). Wells says the team is looking forward to a friendly home crowd at the Kinsmen Arena.
“I’m ecstatic to get back to PA next Saturday. The fans in PA are the best in the province. It’s gonna be loud, it’s gonna be hot and it’s gonna be fun. It’s going to be a fun atmosphere. To win a championship on home soil, there’s no better feeling and that’s the end goal next Saturday.”
Ball drop for Game 2 of the PGLL Final is on July 27 at 7 p.m. at the Kinsmen Arena in Prince Albert.
