Coquitlam Adanacs heading to Minto Cup final, aiming to win back-to-back championships in historic rematch
The Coquitlam Adanacs are headed to the Minto Cup final with dreams of becoming repeat champions.
The Junior A lacrosse squad booked their ticket on Aug. 19, after defeating the hometown St. Catharines Athletics 14–11 in the semifinal at the Meridian Centre in Ontario.
Tuesday night’s win sets up a rematch series against Orangeville Northmen, which the Adanac’s defeated in the 2024 finals to become the reigning champions. For the first time in history, last year’s Minto Cup finalists are meeting again in the finals.
Local news that matters to you
No one covers the Tri-Cities like we do. But we need your help to keep our community journalism sustainable.
The Minto Cup serves as the ultimate prize for players aged 16-21 competing in Canada’s Junior A leagues. It is contested each summer by top four junior teams across the country, and is widely considered one of the most prestigious trophies in the sport.
Because of its intensity and the short window of games, the Minto Cup has a reputation for producing some of the most dramatic and high-pressure lacrosse seen at any level. Rivalries forged – particularly between Ontario and B.C. teams – are fierce and historic.
The format has varied over the decades, but today the championship usually rotates between Ontario and British Columbia. The provincial champions from each league – British Columbia Junior A Lacrosse League, Ontario Junior A Lacrosse League and Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League (Alberta) – travel to a host city for a multi-team tournament.
The four teams play a short round robin, with the top seed getting a bye to the final, where a best-of-three series is played.
Round robin and semi-finals
Last year, Coquitlam topped the round-robin and secured a bye into the final. This year’s path was steeper, with the team having to battle through consecutive knockout games on the road.
The three teams at the top – Orangeville, St. Catharines and Coquitlam – all finished with 2-1 identical records after the round robin, forcing the standings to be decided on goal differential.
Orangeville earned the bye directly into the final, while the Adanacs were left to battle the Athletics again in a winner-take-all semifinal.
From the opening whistle, Tuesday night’s game against the Athletics was a back-and-forth affair. Coquitlam seized an early 5–2 lead after the first period, only for St. Catharines to mount spirited comebacks throughout the game – closing the lead to within one goal three times – including back-to-back power play goals, 28 seconds apart, in the third.
The Athletics, led by Zack Toll’s two goals and four assists, outshot the Adanacs 56-36 but could never fully close the gap. The Adanacs stayed composed and responded to every surge.
Cody Malawsky was Coquitlam’s standout performer, delivering four goals and three assists – highlighted by two clutch goals in the third period that shifted momentum decisively in Adanacs’ favor. Ryan Colsey was equally influential with a hat trick, while Nathan Chalmers, Wren Glanville, Jaxon Dillon and Oskar Lucas also contributed to the scoreboard.
The victory set the stage for Thursday night’s final, where Coquitlam will once again meet the Northmen. Orangeville is the only team to best the Adanacs so far during the tournament, handing them a 12-5 loss on the opening night on Aug. 16.
Orangeville’s Liam Matthews leads with 22 points (9 goals, 13 assists), followed closely by Max Kruger (14 points).
The stakes
For young athletes, a Minto Cup championship can define their careers. Scouts and professional coaches watch closely, and a standout performance often leads directly to National Lacrosse League (NLL) draft opportunities.
With many of the Adanacs’ leaders playing in their final year before aging out of the league, the stakes are high.
The cup is also a symbol of provincial pride, with B.C. and Ontario trading dominance over the decades.
Teams like the Orangeville Northmen, Coquitlam Adanacs, Whitby Warriors and New Westminster Salmonbellies have built dynasties through Minto Cup success.
Over the last 15 years, Coquitlam has made it to the finals 10 times, winning the cup in 2010, 2016, 2018 and 2024, making them the most consistently competitive B.C. team of the modern era.
Heading into the Aug. 21 series opener against the Northman, however, the Adancas will be aiming to end a 47-year dry streak: a Western Canadian team has not won the Minto Cup in the east since Burnaby Cablevision in 1978.
The lax battle begins 4:30 p.m. PST. Game two is scheduled for Friday, with Saturday reserved for a deciding game three if needed.
The NLL’s streaming service, NLL+, offers free access to live coverage of the entire 2025 Minto Cup. Fans across Canada can register and view all games at no cost.
Author
