Playing their first game of the year, on Rick 'Tuggy' Passfield minor lacrosse night at Iroquois Park, the Warriors needed a late game rally to post a 12-10 victory over the defending Minto Cup champion Peterborough Lakers Friday.

For a majority of the contest, the Lakers hung tight with the high-powered Warriors attack, thanks in large part to six goals from Kyle Clancy. However, the Warriors kept running, and it appeared the shorthanded Lakers were operating on low fuel.

"They had 14 guys dressed, and we are a running team, that's our style," said Warriors coach Jeff McComb, attempting to explain the five-goal outburst in the final minutes that led to the victory. "I think in the last five or six minutes that came to the forefront a little. We got a couple turnovers off presses and we were able to bury the ball.

"Once the ball finally started going in the net for us we got on a roll. Although I don't think we played that well, hopefully that's the sign of a good team, that you can pull one out when you really don't deserve it."

With that in mind, McComb and the Warriors were focused on building what they could off of Friday's late charge and carrying that momentum into last night's game against the expansion Akwesasne Thunder.

"I think it's important," said McComb of learning from the positives. "Akwesasne, a first year Junior A team, expansion team, you'd say they'd probably struggle. But they've got 11 or 12 kids in their lineup that played Junior A ball last season whether it was in Ottawa or Six Nations or wherever. I think they are going to be a top-5 team in our league."

The Warriors are off now until next Tuesday when they host the Mississauga Tomahawks at Iroquois Park at 8 p.m.

NOTES: Steve Hutchins, Justin Fox and Alex Henderson each scored hat tricks for the Warriors, while Matt Cockerton, Phil McIlhone and Chris Davey added singles... Matt Savoie, Marc Jackson and Davey each had three helpers... Jesse Gill got the start in net and picked up the win.