Rocks Pick Up Big Win

The Jr. Shamrocks played a rare Saturday game on the road and came up with a big win against the Langley Thunder, beating them 8-5 at the Langley Events Centre. These are 2 of the 3 teams battling for the final two playoff spots so every win carries more weight as the season winds to a close.

Mitch Gurney got the start in goal for the Shamrocks with Zach Wickett between the pipes for the home Thunder. It turned out to be a goaltenders’ battle as only 1 goal was scored in the opening 20 minutes and that came just 1:50 into the contest as Guy Cullen took a pass from Dallas Wade and got in close 2-on-1 to put the ball behind Wickett. Shots on goal favoured Victoria 21-16 but they only led by 1 going into the intermission.

Langley got things even early in the middle frame, Dylan Lacroix tallying at the 1:06 mark as Gurney came out to play the ball but missed and Lacroix put the ball over him into the back of the net. The Shamrocks went ahead at 8:18, Eddie Smith bringing the ball from the corner, faking and shooting low. They took a 2-goal lead at 9:51, Nick Preston scoring a power play goal to the top corner as he went across in front of the net. Langley got that one back at the 10-minute mark, Andrew Gresham firing from outside the dotted line. Gresham picked up his second and tying goal at 15:12, that goal coming with the man advantage as it deflected off a Victoria defender. Before the period ended, the Shamrocks regained the lead, Smith getting his second of the contest at 19:28 as he came off the bench to grab a pass from David Byrne. The Rocks still had a 1-goal lead and shots were more even, 14-13 for the visitors.

The Thunder got some momentum early in period 3, picking up a pair of shorthanded goals to take their first and only lead of the game. The tying tally came from the stick of Connor McNeil at 4:53 and the go-ahead goal from Lacroix as they took a 5-4 lead at 5:33. Both those goals came on a single penalty and before it would expire, the Shamrocks did manage a power play marker as Brad McCulley found the back of the net at 6:11. That tied the score 6-6. At 7:31, Zac Christianson found Adam Jay who made no mistake, scoring with his team shorthanded to go up by a goal. Langley decided to pull the goaltender for a sneak attack but that move backfired with Rees Cullen scoring into the empty net at 12:50 to open up a 2-goal lead. The Shamrocks would add one more, Brad McCulley scoring on a bouncer from well out at 18:14 and that would provide the margin of victory.

Brad McCulley and Eddie Smith each had 2 goals in the winning effort with singles coming from Rees Cullen, Guy Cullen, Adam Jay and Nick Preston. Cole Pickup and Marshall King each chipped in a pair of helpers and Mitch Gurney kicked out 40 of 45 shots.

The result leaves the Shamrocks and Langley tied with 12 points, 2 behind the Port Coquitlam Saints as those 3 teams battle for the final 2 playoff positions behind Coquitlam, Delta and New Westminster and well ahead of both the Nanaimo Timbermen and the Burnaby Lakers. The Adanacs remain undefeated as they won a hard-fought 11-10 battle against the Delta Islanders.

The Shamrocks get back in action with a Sunday home game against the Delta Islanders. That game gets under way at 5:00 at Westhills Arena.

- Janice Huckin