Coquitlam’s Junior A Adanacs draw Langley in best-of-five opener
The Coquitlam Adanacs will launch their BC Junior A Lacrosse League post-season at home after clinching top spot in the standings, drawing the Langley Junior A Thunder in a best-of-five opening-round series that starts Sunday night in Coquitlam. The matchup was sealed on the final evening of the regular season when the Port Coquitlam Saints defeated Langley 15–11, lifting the Saints into third and leaving the Thunder fourth.
The standings shuffle sets up a classic regional pairing. Coquitlam closed the regular schedule at 14-3-1 for 29 points, while Langley finished 10-7-1 with 21 points. Port Coquitlam slotted into third at 12-6 and 24 points. Game 2 of the Adanacs–Thunder series is scheduled for Tuesday, July 21 at the Langley Events Centre, following Sunday’s opener in Coquitlam.
| Team | Record | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Coquitlam Adanacs | 14-3-1 | 29 |
| Port Coquitlam Saints | 12-6-0 | 24 |
| Langley Thunder | 10-7-1 | 21 |
Regular-season meetings offered a preview of the challenge ahead for Langley. The Thunder managed a draw in one encounter with Coquitlam but were edged by a single goal in another and overwhelmed in a third. That pattern leaves the top seed with clear momentum and a home-ice advantage to start.
Langley head coach Matt Beers acknowledged his group must tighten up to contend with Coquitlam’s execution over a series. In his words:
“We need to find that balance between playing an aggressive style while limiting our mistakes. I still think we are making too many unforced errors.”
Those comments followed a volatile finish to Langley’s schedule in which the Thunder fell behind 9–3 to the Saints after one period before clawing back to trail 10–8 through 40 minutes, eventually levelling the game at 11–11. Port Coquitlam, however, sealed third with the last four goals. The Saints outshot Langley 67–52, with Langley’s Deklan Morrison entering in relief during the opening frame and turning aside 43 of 51 shots the rest of the way.
For Port Coquitlam, Lincoln Wall, Josh Mills and Elijah Terry each recorded hat tricks. Langley’s offence was paced by Parker Doyle and Koji Okuyama with two goals and an assist apiece. Austin Vanichuk and Daniel Battistin chipped in a goal and two assists each, while Scott Williams, Wyatt Hofer, Noah Buchan and Kade Hoogstraten posted a goal and an assist. Mason Eastgate added one goal.
What the series means for Coquitlam
For local supporters, the opener in Coquitlam offers the community an early look at a first-place side that has controlled the season’s tempo and results. The regular-season edge over Langley suggests the Adanacs have multiple pathways to win—tight, low-margin contests as well as higher-scoring outings—while forcing opponents into extended defensive shifts. Langley’s emphasis on cutting unforced errors reflects the discipline Coquitlam has leveraged to bank points and secure seeding.
Strategically, the Thunder’s near-comeback against the Saints underscores their capacity to generate quick offence, but the combined shot volume they yielded in that game highlights a potential opening for Coquitlam’s attack to dictate terms early. Special teams and decision-making under pressure—especially in late periods—could become decisive as Langley seeks the balance their coach described.
Key dates and factors to watch
- Game 1: Sunday night in Coquitlam, launching the best-of-five.
- Game 2: Tuesday, July 21, at the Langley Events Centre.
- Regular-season track record: Langley managed one tie; Coquitlam took the other two meetings by slim and wide margins.
With the bracket now set, Coquitlam holds a favourable position, but a series tends to compress margins and elevate goaltending and discipline. Langley’s ability to clean up transition play and protect the middle of the floor will determine whether the Thunder can flip their regular-season narrative. Coquitlam, for its part, will aim to convert seeding and home start into an early series stranglehold.
