The Ladner Pioneers’ have added yet another National Lacrosse League star as they look to return to this summer’s President’s Cup national senior “B” championships.
Calgary Roughnecks standout and Coquitlam native Tyler Pace made his Ladner debut in last Thursday’s 13-5 home floor win over the North Shore Indians, scoring twice and adding an assist.
He then scored seven times and chipped in with a couple of helpers in Saturday’s 21-6 home floor romp of the Victoria Shamrocks.
The Pioneers also defeated Port Coquitlam 14-4 on Monday night to improve to 5-0 on the season.
Pace, 27, is coming off a 67-point campaign in 15 games with the Roughnecks, including 26 goals. He capped his decorated junior career by helping the Coquitlam Adanacs win the Minto Cup in 2016 and also earned a field lacrosse scholarship to the University of Denver.
The right-handed sniper adds to a star-studded Ladner line-up that already includes hometown star Logan Schuss, Ryan Benesch, Jeff Cornwall, Eric Penny, Owen Barker, Zach Herreweyers and Mike Mallory, all NLL regulars.
The team is also waiting for the arrival of Eli McLaughlin. The Delta Junior “A” Islanders’ alumni and Surrey native leads NLL playoff scoring. He had 12 points, including six goals in Colorado’s 15-13 win over San Diego on Saturday, sending the Mammoth to the championship series for the first time in 16 years.
The Pioneers are looking to return to the President’s Cup that will be contested in Leduc, AB. The tournament has become highly competitive in recent years with Ontario and Alberta teams also featuring NLL players.
