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The Prince Albert Predators will have their work cut out for them in the playoffs.
The junior B Prairie Gold Lacrosse League team will be up against the Saskatoon Steelers (10-0-0) in a semifinal match July 4.
The Steelers beat the Predators (6-3-1) by a 6-4 margin Sunday in Saskatoon to conclude the regular season, but Prince Albert was in the game to the end.
"They've got a real potent fast break that we weren't able to shut down," Predators coach Terry Lange said Monday.
"They've got a lot of fast kids. We had a decent game. We were tied 4-4 at one time."
The arena was having some problems with leaking after all the rainfall on Sunday.
"With all the rain and moisture there, the floor kind of sweats and gets real slippery, so we actually called the game with about eight minutes left (after) one of our guys broke an ankle," Lange said of corner Brant Frennette.
Myles Jeffers, who had a promising start to the season, will miss the playoff weekend because he's still battling an infection. Cody Folstad (foot) and Chase Stevenson (illness), were both out of the lineup Sunday, but should return for the playoffs.
"We'll get those two guys back," Lange added. "That'll help us quite a bit."
Folstad is second in team scoring, while Stevenson is fifth.
Heading into the playoff weekend in Regina, the Predators will have to work on their transition defence.
"Our guys are so focused on their offence they forget about their defensive commitment and shutting down those breaking players," Lange said. "That's what we're going to work on in our next two weeks - coming up with a way to commit everybody to getting back and helping shut down their fast break.
"Five of their six goals came with guys coming in alone on (goaltender) Tanner Fetch."
The Predators got their sixth win of the season on Saturday in an 18-3 romp over Swift Current.
Porter led the Prince Albert offence with two goals and five assists. In nine regular-season games, Porter amassed 14 goals and 17 assists.
If the Predators get past the Steelers, they'll go on to play the winner of the Regina-Moose Jaw semifinal for the league title.
Lange will be in Calgary this weekend with Dave Werrett, coaching a Prince Albert midget team in a tournament.
tpruner@paherald.sk.ca
