Adanacs Tie Series with Road Win

The Victoria Jr. Shamrocks opened their best-of-seven final series with a road win Thursday but the Coquitlam Adanacs came into the Q Center Saturday and returned the favor, picking up an 11-9 win. The series goes back to Coquitlam Sunday for game 3.

Starting goaltenders were Jack Kask for the visitors and Grayson Manning for the Shamrocks. Nathan Chalmers got Coquitlam on the board first at 4:45 from the dotted arc. Owen Ofarrell tied things up for the home team at 14:23 with a bullet from outside the dotted line. Chalmers picked up his second of the contest on a power play at 15:06 and Cody Malawsky opened up a 2-goal lead 32 seconds later as the Adanacs took a 3-1 lead to the dressing room after 20 minutes.

Chalmers picked up his hat trick marker 2:26 into the middle frame on a run off the bench but Victoria went on a 3-goal run beginning with Greyson Thompson’s marker from outside the dotted line at 3:55. Jett Klassen followed up from in close at 6:10 and Thompson got his second of the game at 11:17 to knot the score at 4 with a sneaky shot from the side of the net. Coquitlam managed to find twine twice before the period ended, Chalmers with his fourth at 12:27 from well out and Parker Kennedy on a power play at 18:42 with a quick stick. Once again the visitors led by a pair, 6-4 after 40 minutes.

Coquitlam extended the lead to 3 goals 1:48 into period 3, Jaxon Dillon scoring from in close. The home team responded, getting the next 4 goals. Phillip Busenius got things started at 4:43 when Kask pushed the ball into his own net. Carter Quested followed up with a pair of goals, the first coming at 5:17 from in close and then again at 6:51 from the dotted line. Busenius gave Victoria the lead with a solo effort t 7:52. A 3-goal Adanacs run put the game out of reach as Wren Glanville scored at 10:19 Chalmers added a 5^th tally at 10:56 and Malawsky got his second at 15:16 The teams traded goals, Victoria’s Ryan Lowe scoring off the ensuing faceoff and Kennedy picking up a late solo effort to give the visitors an 11-9 victory.

Shamrocks were led offensively by Greyson Thompson with a pair of goals and 1 assist, Phillip Busenius and Carter Quested adding a pair of goals each while Ryan Lowe and Jett Klassen contributed a goal and 2 helpers. Coquitlam got 5 goals and 1 assist from Nathan Chalmers, Parker Kennedy and Tier 1 call-up Cody Malawsky each scored twice and added 2 and 3 assists respectively.

As noted, with the series now tied 1-1, game 3 takes place Sunday in Coquitlam with both teams returning to the Q Center Tuesday, August 5th at 5:30 pm for game 4.

- Janice Huckin