By Dan Marshall

Senior B Timbermen open lacrosse playoffs against Victoria

Jul 18, 2017 | 9:46 PM

NANAIMO — Playoff time has arrived in the West Coast Senior Lacrosse Association.
 
The Senior B Timbermen have a best of three series on the horizon against the Victoria Wolves.
 
Timbermen teams are typically at the top of the standings which comes with a first round bye, but in 2017 they finished in fifth place – the lower seed in their four versus five post season matchup.
 
Nanaimo went 2-1 against Victoria in the regular season and Timbermen team president Shawn Swanson is thrilled that the first round is an all island series. 
 
“If you would have told me at the start of the season we were playing in the first round of the playoffs obviously that’s who we’d want to play against, from a logistical point of view but also just building up that rivalry. They’re a team that always plays us tough and I think it’s going to be a great series,” said
Swanson. 
 
At 7-6-0-1 the Tmen didn’t have the regular season they were hoping for but Swanson sees the team coming together at the right time.
 
“We’re on a three game win streak right now and beating Ladner (on Sunday) puts us in a position where the guys confidence level is pretty high going into the playoffs,” Swanson said.
 
Nanaimo will play the underdog role this time around and that suits Swanson just fine.
 
“It’s kind of uncharted territory for us but I don’t think at this point any team wants to play us,” said Swanson. “They know that we underachieved this year and that we have a decent team.”   
 
Game one of the playoffs goes at 8 p.m. Wednesday at Frank Crane Arena, with game two Friday at 7:30 p.m. the Q Centre.
 
If necessary game three would also be in Victoria on Sunday starting at 6 p.m.
 
 
dan@nanaimonewsnow.com
 
On twitter: @danmarshall77