{"id":628443,"date":"2026-04-25T20:47:12","date_gmt":"2026-04-25T20:47:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/628443\/"},"modified":"2026-04-25T20:47:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-25T20:47:12","slug":"vancouver-warriors-ousted-from-playoffs-after-giving-up-six-goal-lead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/628443\/","title":{"rendered":"Vancouver Warriors ousted from playoffs after giving up six-goal lead"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Breadcrumb Trail Links<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"breadcrumbs__item-link\" data-tb-category-link=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/theprovince.com\/category\/sports\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Sports<\/a><a class=\"breadcrumbs__item-link\" data-tb-category-link=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/theprovince.com\/category\/sports\/lacrosse\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Lacrosse<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"article-subtitle\">The Warriors were up 7-1 on the Halifax Thunderbirds at halftime Friday but the offence dried up and they wound up falling 10-7<\/p>\n<p> Get the latest from Steve Ewen straight to your inbox Sign Up   <\/p>\n<p>Published Apr 25, 2026 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 4 minute read<\/p>\n<p><a aria-label=\"Join the conversation\" class=\"article-meta-comment-count\" data-story-comment-component=\"\" href=\"#comments-area\">   <\/a><\/p>\n<p>You can save this article by registering for free <a class=\"bookmark-link\" data-evt-skip-click=\"true\" href=\"http:\/\/theprovince.com\/register\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">here<\/a>. Or <a class=\"bookmark-link\" data-evt-skip-click=\"true\" href=\"http:\/\/theprovince.com\/sign-in\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">sign-in<\/a> if you have an account.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"vancouver warriors\" class=\"featured-image__image type:primaryImage\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/vancouver-warriors_302780219.jpeg\"  decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" height=\"900\" width=\"1200\"\/>Vancouver Warriors&#8217; Jackson Suboch and Nonkon Thompson (No. 19) of the Halifax Thunderbirds battling for position. Vancouver Warriors photoArticle content<\/p>\n<p>The Vancouver Warriors\u2019 season came to an abrupt halt Friday, with the team winding up on the wrong side of one of the great comebacks in National Lacrosse League playoff history.<\/p>\n<p>Advertisement 2<\/p>\n<p>This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The Province\" class=\"market-logo\" height=\"37\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/21.0.2\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-vp.svg\" width=\"280\"\/><\/p>\n<p>THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY<\/p>\n<p class=\"identity-intro__description\">Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n<p>Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events.Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account.The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.<\/p>\n<p>SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n<p class=\"identity-intro__description\">Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n<p>Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events.Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account.The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.<\/p>\n<p>REGISTER \/ SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n<p class=\"identity-intro__description\">Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n<p>Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.<\/p>\n<p>THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.<\/p>\n<p class=\"identity-intro__description\">Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n<p>Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an Account<\/p>\n<p>or<\/p>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p data-async=\"\">Top-seeded Vancouver (13-5) coughed up a 7-1 halftime lead on their way to falling 10-7 to the No. 8 Halifax Thunderbirds (8-10) in the single-game elimination quarterfinals before an announced crowd of 9,073 at <a data-evt-val=\"{\" control_fields=\"\" link=\"\" arena=\"\" data-evt=\"click\" data-evt-typ=\"click\" data-link-type=\"backlink\" href=\"https:\/\/vancouversun.com\/entertainment\/rogers-arena-what-to-know-about-this-vancouver-sports-and-entertainment-venue\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Rogers Arena<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p data-async=\"\">The Warriors put together a veteran team loaded with playoff experience. They were built to make a championship run this season. And, with the struggles of the <a data-evt-val=\"{\" control_fields=\"\" link=\"\" canucks=\"\" data-evt=\"click\" data-evt-typ=\"click\" data-link-type=\"backlink\" href=\"https:\/\/theprovince.com\/category\/sports\/hockey\/nhl\/vancouver-canucks\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Vancouver Canucks<\/a>, the Warriors had an open lane to build up their brand and add to the fan base over the next few weeks.<\/p>\n<p>This was a window. In the blink of an eye, it was slammed shut and boarded up.<\/p>\n<p>Vancouver general manager and head coach Curt Malawsky had a one-word message to the team\u2019s fans afterward: \u201cSorry.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe let them down. It\u2019s borderline embarrassing to be honest with you. It\u2019s hard to walk around with your head up high after that,\u201d Malawsky added. \u201cI try to look at the positives. We had 9,000 people in the building. We didn\u2019t get the job done.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut don\u2019t give up on us. We\u2019re going to work extremely hard and try to do stuff at the draft and in the off-season and try to bring it all back. But we let them down. I let them down. That\u2019s how I feel.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Canucks Report Banner\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/21.0.2\/websites\/images\/newsletters\/icon-vs-canucksReport.svg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Canucks Report<\/p>\n<p class=\"newsletter-widget__text__new-story-page\">Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat.<\/p>\n<p class=\"newsletter-widget__disclaimer__new-story-page text-size--tiny\">By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.<\/p>\n<p>Thanks for signing up!<\/p>\n<p class=\"newsletter-widget__text__new-story-page\">A welcome email is on its way. If you don&#8217;t see it, please check your junk folder.<\/p>\n<p class=\"newsletter-widget__text__new-story-page newsletter__feedback--last\">The next issue of Canucks Report will soon be in your inbox.<\/p>\n<p class=\"newsletter-widget__text__new-story-page js-submit-error\" hidden=\"\" id=\"submitErrorVanSun_CanucksReport\" style=\"margin-top:8px\">We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again<\/p>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>Advertisement 3<\/p>\n<p>This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>The NLL semifinals and championship round are best-of-three sets. The single-game quarterfinals have been tricky for top teams in the past. The Buffalo Bandits are the three-time reigning league champions, and they scored a 10-9 overtime win versus the Georgia Swarm and a 5-4 triumph over the San Diego Seals in the quarterfinals, respectively, the past two years on their way to titles.<\/p>\n<p data-async=\"\">Halifax has played teams tight all season, too. The Thunderbirds lost six one-goal games, including falling 8-7 to the Warriors at <a data-evt-val=\"{\" control_fields=\"\" link=\"\" arena=\"\" data-evt=\"click\" data-evt-typ=\"click\" data-link-type=\"backlink\" href=\"https:\/\/vancouversun.com\/entertainment\/rogers-arena-what-to-know-about-this-vancouver-sports-and-entertainment-venue\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Rogers Arena<\/a> on April 10.<\/p>\n<p>So it\u2019s not that Vancouver lost. It is the way that they lost. The six-goal comeback ties an NLL record for biggest rally in a playoff game. It\u2019s happened several times, the most recent a 2022 quarterfinal game between the Thunderbirds and the Toronto Rock that saw Toronto triumph 14-13 in overtime after being down 9-3 at the halftime intermission.<\/p>\n<p>Halifax was 3-for-7 on the power play Friday, compared to 1-for-2 for Vancouver. It\u2019s rare you see those kind of man-advantage opportunities in a playoff game, and the Thunderbirds had three-power play goals in that momentum-swinging third quarter.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Advertisement 4<\/p>\n<p>This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>The more pressing issue on the night for Vancouver was that their offence disappeared. They went 30 minutes, 56 seconds without a goal, which is a lifetime in lacrosse.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Vancouver finished fifth in scoring in the 14-team loop during the regular season, averaging 11.1 goals per game. Their lineup features three players who finished in the top-10 in league scoring in 2025, with free agents Curtis Dickson and Jesse King signing on this off-season to join \u00a0Keegan Bal.<\/p>\n<p>But there were stints this year like Friday, where there was too much stand and shoot, too much perimeter.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe weren\u2019t getting inside enough. They pushed us to the outside. We had good looks but we were settling for the outside shots,\u201d Malawsky said. \u201cThat\u2019s on me. I need to get the ball down low, into the corner, turn them around a bit.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf we could play it over again we\u2019d probably do some things differently offensively.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s next for the Warriors is difficult to guess. Vancouver had 11 players on its 21-man roster Friday who were at least 30 years old. There was a school of thought around the NLL that Vancouver could lose several players to retirement if the team went on a deep run.<\/p>\n<p>Advertisement 5<\/p>\n<p>This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>Guys could still opt to pack in it now. Malawsky could decide to make changes. Unfortunately for everyone involved in that equation, there\u2019s plenty of extra time to think about it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEveryone is gutted right now,\u201d Vancouver captain Brett Mydske, a defender, said Friday. \u201cI\u2019m at a loss for words right now.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mike Robinson beat Vancouver netminder Christian Del Bianco to the fair side with 15 seconds to go in the third quarter to knot the score at 7-7. Jake Withers jumped on a turnover at centre floor, raced off on a breakaway and snapped home the eventual winner at 3:53 of the fourth quarter.<\/p>\n<p>Bal had three goals and six points for Vancouver. Jason Knox put up four goals and six points for Halifax. Del Bianco made 61 saves, while Warren Hill turned away 36 shots in the Halifax cage.<\/p>\n<p>The Warriors lost to Buffalo in the semifinals last season.<\/p>\n<p>@SteveEwen<\/p>\n<p data-async=\"\"><a data-evt-val=\"{\" control_fields=\"\" link=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-evt=\"click\" data-evt-typ=\"click\" href=\"mailto:SEwen@postmedia.com\" target=\"_blank\">SEwen@postmedia.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>Share this article in your social network<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Breadcrumb Trail Links SportsLacrosse The Warriors were up 7-1 on the Halifax Thunderbirds at halftime Friday but the&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":628444,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[194298],"tags":[49,48,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-628443","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-vancouver","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-canada","10":"tag-vancouver"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/628443","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=628443"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/628443\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/628444"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=628443"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=628443"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=628443"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}