Rocks Keep Hopes Alive With Win

The Jr. Shamrocks kept their slim playoff hopes alive with an 11-7 win over the visiting Burnaby Lakers Saturday at the Q Centre. The Rocks jumped out to a 6-0 first period lead, led 8-4 after 40 minutes and held the Lakers, playing with a patchwork line-up, off in the third to get the much-needed win.

Graham Husick was the starting goaltender for the Lakers while Mitch Gurney guarded the crease at the Shamrocks end of the floor. Colten Merilainen got the offense started at 2:44, getting in close. At 9:15 Zac Christianson used his transition speed to get in alone and make it 2-0. Cole Pickup made it 3-0 at 11:38, finishing off some great passing plays. Merilainen collected his second at 14:22 and Marshal King connected on a hard shot from the dotted line just 22 seconds later. Brad McCulley notched Victoria’s sixth at 15:06 with a hard sidearm shot from the dotted line as the period ended with the Rocks holding the 6-0 lead and a 22-15 edge in shots on goal.

The second period actually saw the Lakers outscore the Shamrocks by a 4-2 margin. They opened the scoring at 4:40 with an unassisted goal from Brad Rowbotham. Victoria got that one back at 5:24, Pickup with his second of the game with a hard shot from the dotted line. Burnaby got a shorthanded goal at 7:24 from Austin Iredale off a rebound right in front which was the beginning of a 3-goal run for the visitors. Chase Pretti-Pearsall added a goal at 12:46 and Jordan Gabrielle cut the gap to 3 goals with a hard shot from outside the dotted line at 13:3. King’s power play goal for the Shamrocks at 18:29 restored a 4-goal lead after 40 minutes. Once again they led in shots on goal 20-9 in the period.

The teams each scored 3 goals in the final frame, Burnaby picking up the first 2, Pearson Willis scoring just 49 seconds in and Cody Tracy once again closing the gap to just a pair of goals at 2:53. Merilainen got 1 back for the home team at 5:39, his hat trick goal. Burnaby got a power play marker from Ty Yanko before Victoria closed out the scoring, Dallas Wade scoring at 10:04 off a rebound right in front and Nick Preston collecting a shorthanded marker off some great loose ball play by Zac Christianson at 12:06 to provide the margin of victory.

Victoria got the hat trick from Colten Merilainen while Cole Pickup and Marshal King each had 2 goals and 1 helper. Nick Preston and Brad McCulley chipped in a goal and 3 helpers while Intermediate ‘A’ call-up Ben Preston added 3 assists. Dallas Wade and Zac Christianson had the other Shamrocks goals.
The Rocks finish the season on the road Sunday in Ladner as they take on the playoff-bound Delta Islanders. A win there would certainly help Victoria’s chance to get into the post season.
- Janice Huckin