Halifax Floor Hockey League
Prior to the Los Angeles Lakers' dismissal from the NBA playoffs, the Lite-Sabres and the ADC Lynx squared off in an ADC FHL semi-final that was a rematch of last season's tense shootout-decided game, also in the semis. This time, the tables were turned, and it was the Lynx who were the favorites entering the game. In the last regular season meeting between the two teams, the Lynx thoroughly trounced the Sabres 16-8, thus putting the Sabres in the unfamiliar playoff role of underdog. Both teams were playing without one of their top players. The Lynx were missing Craig Mercer while the Sabres were missing Dave MacKenzie, both of whom will become free agents after this season.
The first period was a tight-checking affair, with the Lynx getting the better of the chances. Lynx captain Richard Wanamaker opened the scoring at 4:25 of the first period when he knocked home a rebound off a shot from Phil Pellerin. Then a Rene Aucoin shot banked off a Sabre defenseman and into the net, upping the Lynx’ lead to 2-0 midway through the period. With merely 24 seconds remaining in the period, Wanamaker tallied his second goal of the game as he flicked home a pretty pass from Tony Warnell to give the Lynx a 3-0 first intermission lead.
When Jason Royal scored for the Lynx early in the second period, the Sabres appeared doomed to relinquish their championship title without a fight. But first-year Sabre Chris Davison managed to sneak a shot between the legs of Lynx goaltender Tony McCarthy four minutes into the period to cut the lead to two. The Sabres’ tough defense managed to parry several subsequent Lynx attacks, and was rewarded when Sabres’ leading scorer Spiro Bokolas managed to cut the lead to two with a hard shot. But a Blair Scanlan penalty left the Sabres shorthanded late in the period, and the Lynx capitalized when a point shot deflected off the back of Warnell to restore the three-goal lead entering the final frame.
The normally defensive-minded Sabres realized that they had to open up the game in the last period if they were to have a chance at winning their third straight title. And it paid off early, as two Scanlan goals and a Mike Sullivan tally cut the lead to 6-5 midway through the final period. But two Lynx goals in less than a minute by Warnell and Dale Wright stuck a dagger through the hearts of Sabres fan around the world.
But the never-say-die Sabres never said die. First Dave Lebreton’s goal cut the Lynx lead to 8-6 at the 13:34 mark of the period. Then Scanlan rapped home his hat trick goal with 58 seconds to go to again cut the deficit to one. It wasn't until Jason Royal converted a two-on-one pass from Pellerin when the Lynx were finally able to wrest the Sabres' grip from the ADC FHL championship trophy.
The Sabres’ crestfallen captain and goaltender Chris McMaster was immediately peppered with questions about the future of his franchise after the game. “I don't know what I'm going to do! Leave me alone!” sobbed a tearful McMaster after being asked about his 2003B draft strategy by an inquisitive reporter during the post-game handshakes. Reportedly, McMaster was also suspicious of a "work-related" call that Sabres defenseman Owen Barnhill received earlier in the week, forcing him to travel out of the province and miss the semi-final game. Lynx captain Wanamaker, known around the league as the "Conniving Canuck", would not comment on the Barnhill incident.
Wanamaker's Lynx were jubulant after the game. "I can't believe I'm finally playing in the championship game", exclaimed Jason Royal, who was 2-6 in playoff games prior to the Lynx win. As Royal alluded to, this will be his first appearance in a championship game, and the first appearance by a Royal clan member in the title game since Kenzie Royal played for the Lite-Sabres in the 1999B final.
With the 9-7 win, the Lynx advance to play the LAN Hackers in the 2003A final. The Hackers defeated a game Keane Chill squad 10-7 to advance to their ninth consecutive final. Hacker forward John Price led all scorers in the semi-finals with four goals and four assists.