Jr. Shamrocks Get First Home Win

It took a while but the Jr. Shamrocks finally got their first home win of the season, handing the visiting Burnaby Lakers a 10-8 loss at the Q Centre on Saturday. Unfortunately, they only got the weekend split as they dropped a 12-10 decision to the New Westminster Salmonbellies at Queen’s Park Arena Sunday.

In Saturday’s contest the Lakers took a 4-3 lead into the first intermission on the basis of a last-second goal, a somewhat controversial call to say the least. But the home Shamrocks roared back with a 5-goal second period to lead 8-6 at the 40-minute mark. That included a 4-goal run to start the period to go up 7-4 at the 12:09 mark. Victoria’s Braylon Lumb got the hat trick in the middle frame to lead the offense. In the final period, each team scored twice as Mitch Gurney went the distance in goal for the Rocks, making 32 saves to get the win.

Besides Lumb’s 3 goals and 2 assists, Nick Preston contributed a pair of goals and 2 helpers, Guy Cullen chipped in with a pair of goals and 1 helper. Singles came from Cole Pickup, Eddie Smith and Brad McCulley who also added 2 assists. Team captain Matthew Hamilton and Brock Thompson-Marshall each had 3 assists. After picking up the much-needed win, the Shamrocks were off to the mainland Sunday.

New Westminster opened Sunday’s game with 3 straight goals, 2 of those on the power play but the Shamrocks battled back to close the score to 4-2 as Matthew Hamilton scored on a Victoria power play and Cole Pickup picked up a counter at 18:49.

The second period saw the Rocks rattle off 3 straight goals to start the period, going up by a 5-4 margin at the 7:12 mark. The ‘Bellies replied just 9 seconds later and added a shorthanded marker at 8:51 to take a 6-5 lead. Victoria’s power play came to life and scored 2 goals, the first at 9:22 and the next at 18:44 with a 4-on-3 manpower advantage. Dylan Rehman added another at 19:29 and it was Victoria 8, New Westminster 6 after 40 minutes.

Late in the second period, a bit of a brouhaha took place, resulting in New Westminster taking a couple of extra minor penalties but Victoria’s goaltender getting a 5-minute major for illegal equipment. The home team scored a quick goal at the 29-second mark of period 3 and Josh Bosher followed up at 5:32. The game was once again tied. The teams traded goals, Danny Smith scoring a short-handed marker at 9:54, giving the Rocks a lead but Victoria ran into penalty issues that allowed the Bellies to rattle off straight power play goals, taking an 11-9 lead by the 15:44 mark. The teams traded even-strength goals before the game ended to give New West the 2-goal win.

Matthew Hamilton led the way offensively for Victoria with the hat trick and 1 assist. Cole Pickup added 2 goals and 1 helper while Brad McCulley and Eddie Smith each chipped in 1 goal and 2 assists. Singles came from Tyler Mace, Danny Smith, and Dylan Rehman.

The result leaves the Shamrocks in fifth spot in the league standings, 2 points behind the Port Coquitlam Saints who will visit the Q Centre next Saturday. PoCo holds a game in hand. Game time June 4 is 5:00 pm.
- Janice Huckin