Rocks Take Lakers at Home

The Burnaby Lakers came into the Q Centre Saturday to face the Jr. ‘A’ Shamrocks.  Despite being one step ahead of the Rocks in the power standings, the Rocks outlasted the visitors to pull out a 15-8 victory.

Spencer Erwin got his first start in goal for the Shamrocks while Elijah Hema Martin (Bear) got the nod for the visitors.  It was the Lakers jumping out to the early lead with a pair of goals, the first coming from Dylan Kaminski just 56 seconds in, getting in close and the second at 2:43 off the stick of Josh Dumont.  Victoria replied with a 3-goal run, the first coming on a power play at 7:53, team captain Brad McCulley scoring in his first game back with a bullet from the dotted line.  Skyler Wilson got the Rocks even at 10:51 with a quick stick in front and Braylon Lumb gave the home team the lead at 11:38 on a give and go. Burnaby replied at 13:48,  Kieran McKay picking up a rebound in front but before the period ended, the speedy David Byrne got to the net for an unassisted tally at 17:13.  That made it 4-3 for the home team going into the dressing room.

Victoria widened its lead with a pair of early goals in the middle frame, McCulley getting his second at the 20-second mark from the dotted line and Ben Preston going over top with a shot at 1:56.  The visitors replied with a pair, the first on the power play at 7:33 and the second at 9:58, both on hard shots from outside the dotted line.  The teams traded goals, Preston picking up his second at 11:28 finding the top corner from outside the dotted line and Burnaby replying at 12:17 with a delayed penalty about to be called on the Shamrocks.  Victoria had the slim lead7-6 but the offense responded with two more, Skyler Wilson getting his second at15:47 off a loose ball and Jackson Boyd adding another at 17:32 with a hard shot from outside the dotted line. Burnaby got one back before the period ended, Kaminski getting his second of the contest at 19:08, getting in close.

The Shamrocks offense really turned things up a notch in the final period, rattling off 6 straight goals.  The first came from Max Wilson at 2:53 finishing off some tic-tac-toe passing with McCulley.  Eddie Smith added another at 3:32, Smith also playing his first game since returning from education commitments.  Brayden Brown picked up a pair at 9:32 and10:38.  Lumb added his second of the game at 13:31, that goal coming on the power play and McCulley completed his hattrick at 13:53 with an over-the-shoulder shot in close.  That prompted a change in the Burnaby goal as Matteo Tack came in to finish the game. He did not allow a goal and Burnaby managed one more off the stick of McKay at 16:37,  the Shamrocks picking up the win.

Brad McCulley had the hat trick and 2 helpers for the Shamrocks but Braylon Lumb led all scorers with 8 points on a pair of goals and 6 helpers. Brayden Brown had a pair of goals and 3 assists while Ben Preston and Skyler Wilson each had 2 goals and 1 assist. Eddie Smith chipped in a goal and 2 helpers with other goals coming from Max Wilson, Jackson Boyd and David Byrne. Spencer Erwin kicked out 22 shots to pick up his first win of the season.

The Shamrocks are on the road Sunday to face the Langley Thunder and return to the Q Centre next Saturday, May 26 to host the Delta Islanders at 4:00 pm.  You can catch the Tier 1 Shamrocks in action prior to that game when they take on the Richmond Roadrunners in a 1:00 start.