Jul 16, 2009 - 12:14 PM

By Shawn Cayley

WHITBY -- It was the biggest game of the year for the Brooklin Redmen and they came through in all facets Wednesday, increasing the likelihood of playoff lacrosse at Iroquois Park.

Needing a win in the worst way, the Redmen stepped up against the Barrie Lakeshores, registered a thrilling 6-5 win on home floor to take a hold on the final playoff spot in the Major Series Lacrosse loop as the season winds down.

Continuing to employ the exciting two-way lacrosse coach Peter Vipond loves, the Redmen scored three straight goals early in the third, turning a 4-3 deficit into a 6-4 lead and eventual 6-5 victory.

"It was a pretty good game. What you basically had was the two hardest-working teams in the league and it was a quick game," said Vipond, summing up the contest.

Kyle Buchanan, acquired recently from Brampton, played a huge roll in the third, scoring twice in 35 seconds to give the Redmen a lead they wouldn't relinquish in improving to 4-13.

The diminutive sniper's play impressed his coach, but came far from surprising him.

"I knew what I was getting with Kyle," said Vipond, who coached the 5-foot-7 offensive dynamo in Ottawa as a junior. "I had thought way back at the first of the year that we should be trying to get Kyle out of Brampton. I thought he would probably come play with me, someone he knew. The kid has got talent and the more he plays in this league, the better he is going to get."

Defender Ian Crashley also benefited offensively from going up and down the floor, earning four assists, while other goals came from Steve Hutchins, Derek Hopcroft, Matt Taylor and Jon Durno.

As pleased as Vipond was to see another step in the process of changing their style, he also came away impressed with another element.

"When we needed to shut it down, we did that," he said. "Mike (Miron) played well in goal and the guys we used to play defence in the last five or six minutes did a great job for us."

Miron's appearance in goal was huge for another reason, with Wednesday serving as his sixth game of the year, thus making him eligible for the playoffs.

Though Brooklin's playoff spot isn't guaranteed, it would be a surprise if it changed, as Barrie (3-13-0) would need to knock off both Peterborough (11-5-0) and St. Regis (8-8-0) to leapfrog the Redmen, who visit Six Nations Saturday in their last game.