Whichever team won the 2025 Mann Cup, it was going to be a historic series. The host New Westminster Salmonbellies were looking to win their 25th Canadian national championship, and their first since 1991. The Six Nations Chiefs were looking at keeping two streaks alive: they were going not only for the three-peat but also fighting for their ninth Mann Cup win in their ninth Mann Cup appearance.
In the end, it was the Chiefs of Major Series Lacrosse that took the crown, winning a classic game seven 12-7 on Saturday night at Queen’s Park Arena in the heart of New Westminster. It’s the eighth season in a row the Cup has been won by an Ontario team.
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Popular sentiment was that the Chiefs would sweep or win in five, but the Salmonbellies roster was the strongest a WLA team had floored in years which made for one of the most exciting and hard-fought series in history.
“The overall atmosphere on the bench, if you were there you could see we were controlled and composed and knew there was a task at hand,” described Chiefs’ forward Larson Sundown of the third period. “All it took was just a little bit more effort and we were fortunate enough to be on the right side of history.”
#Manncup2025 game 7 ends with @SN_Chiefs defeating New Westminster @Salmonbellies 12-7 pic.twitter.com/Zk3AzrOWOa
— The New Westminster Times (@NewWestTimes) September 14, 2025
Mitch Jones scored the equalizer for New West as the third period opened, whipping in a low shot after a give-and-go with Tye Kurtz. It took the Chiefs 29 seconds to respond with Dhane Smith dodging a defender to retake the lead. Ian MacKay made it 8-6 with a goal on the run across the top. Just over a minute later, Lyle Thompson tiptoed the crease; Frank Scigliano slowed down the shot, but it trickled over the line.
The Chiefs hit double digits when Brendan Bomberry potted a Shayne Jackson rebound halfway through the period. Tyson Bell beat Scigliano to the empty net with 3:14 left, forcing the ‘Bellies to use their timeout down five. New West native Noah Armitage, the only non-NLL rostered player in the game, scored his second goal of the night to end the Chiefs’ streak. With 1:24 left, the ‘Bellies pulled their goalie again, allowing Dhane Smith to ice it.
“Winning doesn’t get old,” said Sundown, who also won with the Chiefs in 2023 and 2024. “Whether you’re doing it for the first time, second time or third time, it’s an honour every time. It’s a privilege to be in this position. When you have teammates like I do, the staff and the executive we have in our corner, it takes everyone. Everyone showed up this week. You can’t put a price on watching your friends lift trophies.”
The Chiefs started their three-peat in 2023 by beating the ‘Bellies in five games. Last year they hosted Victoria at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena and won in five games.
“It’s very cool to win it in enemy territory, but it meant a little more in Six Nations. Just like in Peterborough, in Victoria, in New West, there’s such a rich lacrosse history in Six Nations and that community really loves it,” noted Sundown, who is from Seneca Nation. “As players, we understand the value and enjoyment we bring to the community. I’m not even from the rez that [much of the team is from], I’m from a different rez but this whole week we’ve been saying Six Nations versus the world and I’m proud to be part of this group.”
This year, the Salmonbellies won the first two games of the series, taking game one 11-8 in overtime and game two 10-6. The Chiefs roared back to win the next two games and tie the series. They took game three 19-9 and game four 10-3. Game five was won by New West 15-11, but the Chiefs tied the series again with a 10-6 win in game six.
Playing seven games in nine days is a grind when you’re used to weekends only in the NLL, or even 2-3 games a week during the CLA’s regular season. But it’s a challenge happily accepted by anyone who earns the right to compete for the Mann Cup.
“It was an awesome experience,” said Sundown. “I got the chance to be around guys who led me in all the right ways. Even in the toughest moments, they knew how to persevere and what it takes to be resilient and that translated through the group. We deserved [the win] and so did everyone involved – from upstairs in management and staff, to the trainers, there are so many helping hands involved in winning championships and we’re so thankful for them and their sacrifice.”
Lyle Thompson opened the game seven scoring with a goal 1:39 into the first period, assisted by Sundown, appearing in his second game of the tournament. Armitage tied it two minutes later, sending the New West fans into a frenzy.
The Chiefs then got the best of Scigliano four times to lead 5-1 after the first period. Ryan Smith scored on a sharp-angle shot nearly even with the goal line; Ian MacKay finished off some good ball movement with Dhane Smith; Ryan Smith scored on a twister; and Thompson was successful on a wraparound attempt on the power play.
The Salmonbellies outscored the Chiefs in the second period to get back within a goal. Haiden Dickson beat Doug Jamieson low right side at 3:14, but the Chiefs responded with Thompson, causing a turnover and feeding a streaking Kason Tarbell.
After that, it was all Bellies. Tye Kurtz got on the board with an outside shot before Marcus Klarich scored a highlight-reel dunk goal from behind the net. Ryan Martel scored on a crease dive to close out the period with the Chiefs leading 6-5.
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Wraparounds, dunks and crease dives aren’t as common in summer lacrosse as they are in the NLL due to differing crease rules. In the NLL, a goal is good as long as the player’s feet don’t touch the ground in the crease. In the Canadian Lacrosse Association, the player’s feet must stay completely out of the crease, even in the air, for a goal to count. Interestingly, all three were attempted and were successful in game seven.
“[The Salmonbellies] are really talented and well coached,” acknowledged Sundown. “When it comes to stuff like this, it’s not necessarily who has the best strategy. It’s who wants it more… There’s a whole other level you have to reach when you’re doing stuff like this and it takes everybody, whether you’re in the lineup or not. Everyone has to sacrifice a little bit of themselves.”
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Ryan Smith was named the Mike Kelley award winner as the Mann Cup MVP after leading the tournament in goals with 14, amid adding 12 assists.
Dhane Smith led all scorers in the seven games with 34 points (8G/26A). Tye Kurtz led the ‘Bellies with 29 points (10G/19A). The teams combined for 472 penalty minutes – an average of 67 minutes per game in the physical series.
While the team captured the three-peat, there were several members of the Chiefs who joined the team for this year’s run and won their first Mann Cup, including: Josh Byrne (a native of New Westminster), Kason Tarbell, Latrell Harris, Shayne Jackson, Dawson Theede, Graeme Hossack, Ryan Smith and Matt Marinier. It was the fifth Mann Cup for Cody Jamieson and Randy Staats, who also won with the Chiefs in 2014 & 2016, and the fourth for Dhane Smith, Kellen LeClair and Doug Jamieson, who also won in 2016.
