Lukas Bernasiewicz
Oakville got back into the win column on Friday with a dominant win over Kitchener-Waterloo by a score of 15-6.
But they looked unrecognizable the following day when they dropped a game against Toronto by a score of 16-4.
It was very much the tale of two games.
In Oakville's first game, the Buzz dominated the floor after the first period.
The highlight of the game for Oakville was during the second period when the team scored seven straight goals to take an 11-4 lead into the third period.
From that point on, the team was able to cruise their way to a victory and avenge their brutal loss against the Orangeville Northmen.
But the next night was the complete opposite for Oakville.
It felt extremely similar to their loss against the Northmen. The team just looked unrecognizable and struggled in every way.
The first period saw the team surrender four unanswered goals by the end of the frame.
Although that may sound like the game was out of reach fast, it was not.
Momentum can instantly change in lacrosse; all teams need is one goal to stop the other's run.
So with the team down 4-0 heading into the second period, Oakville needed to score first.
They did not.
Oakville not only didn't score first, but they allowed seven straight goals in the second period to bring the score to 11-0.
By the time Will Sheehan scored to get the team on the board, it was far too late, and the game was over by the end of the second period.
This was another significant loss for the club—one of those losses that leaves a bad taste in your mouth afterwards.
But when you think about it, there were just a few things that Oakville needed to change to make this game very different.
If the team scores first coming out of the first intermission, the game could have been different.
If the team gets one or two more saves in the first half of the game, the game could have been different.
The game could have been different if the team had taken advantage of a few early powerplays.
If those things are changed for the rest of the season, Oakville will have better results on a consistent basis.
But if they don't, we may look at more games like the ones against Orangeville and Toronto.
Oakville plays their next home game on Wednesday, June 7, in the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre starting at 8:00 p.m.
