Shamrocks Open With a Win

Island rivals, the Jr. Shamrocks and Nanaimo Timbermen began the regular season Friday in the Hub City. Both teams were missing several regulars as the T’Men jumped out to a first-period 6-5 lead. Throughout the game there were several momentum changes but in the end it was the Shamrocks emerging with a 13-11 victory on the basis of the final 3 goals of the contest.

Starting goaltenders were Mitch Gurney for the Rocks and Matt Zeller for the home Timbermen and it was the Shamrocks jumping out to a 2-0 lead before the game was a minute old. Adam Jay got a break after Zack Homer won the opening faceoff and went in alone just 6 seconds into the contest. Just 43 seconds later, it was veteran Cole Pickup firing one to the back of the net from outside the dotted line. If the visitors thought they’d go on a romp the home squad squelched that as the T’Men went on a 5-goal run, including the first two of the season for Darrin Wilson, both on the power play as he finished with a quick-stick on a 5-on-3 man advantage at 7:27 and followed up with the 1 man advantage at 8:01 from outside the dotted line. Liam Young notched another at 11:23 and Will Johansen made it 4-2 for Nanaimo at 11:51 off a rebound. Kevin Glanfield widened the gap to 3 at 12:54, getting in close. Victoria responded with a 3-goal run, Matt Hamilton getting things started at 15:31, cutting in. Rookie Colten Merilainen added another, this one coming on the power play at 16:52 from the side of the crease with the Rocks having a 4-on-3 advantage. Pickup notched his second of the game at 17:35 from well out to knot things at 5 but Nanaimo’s Mathieu Jung regained the lead at 19:21 with a quick stick in close. Shots on goal favoured Nanaimo 18-17 and they were up by 1 on the scoreboard.

The Rocks started things early again in period 2, Ryan Lewis tying the score at 6-6 with a goal at 1:19 on which goaltender Zeller got a piece but could not keep it from crossing the line. Once again the home team went on a run, scoring the next 4 goals, including the first 3 just 1:23 apart. Wilson notched his hat trick marker at 9:34 after a tremendous almost 4-minute penalty kill. Jung followed up with his second of the night at 10:50 cutting to the net and Daryl DeFreitas went in off the ensuing faceoff to make it 9-6 Nanaimo. A power play goal from Jake Latin at 17:38 increased the lead to 4 before Victoria’s Matt Hamilton turned the momentum around with his secondo of the night at 17:51 and Brad McCulley cut the lead to 2 with a bullet from the center at 18:54 with the Rocks having a 5-on-3 man advantage. The score after 40 minutes favoured the home team 10-8 and they had outshot the visitors by a 39-19 margin.

Victoria kept their momentum going early in period 3, Merilainen picking up his second of the game at 2:57 with an outside shot. The visitors pulled even on Pickup’s hat trick marker at 6:53, a shot that deflected in late in the 30-second clock. It took less than a minute for Johansen to put Nanaimo up again, as he capitalized on some prolonged pressure on the Victoria goaltender at 7:46. That was the end of night offensively for Nanaimo, however, as the Shamrocks rattled in 3 unanswered, once again Hamilton turning the tide with a power play goal at 11:22. Lewis then tallied for a second time, diving across to beat Zeller at 14:54 and Pickup added an insurance marker at 17:03, getting in alone with some great finish to provide the margin of victory.

It wasn’t always pretty but a win is a win and the Shamrocks got outstanding offensive performances from a number of players. Cole Pickup led all scorers with 4 goals and 4 assists while Matt Hamilton picked up the hat trick and 1 assist. Colten Merilainen and Ryan Lewis each had a pair of goals with Merilainen also chipping in 4 helpers. Brad McCulley finished with a goal and 3 assists with Adam Jay picking up the other Victoria goal. Mitch Gurney turned aside 38 of the 49 shots he faced to pick up his first victory. The Shamrocks are back on the floor Saturday as they play their home opener at the Q Centre against the Delta Islanders. Game time is 5:00 and it will be a re-match against the team that eliminated the Rocks from playoffs last season.

- Janice Huckin