Shamrocks Advance to Final

The Junior Shamrocks have advanced to the league final series against the Langley Thunder with a home floor 11-8 win over the Coquitlam Adanacs in the fifth and deciding game of their semi final.  It was a hard-fought series with the Rocks winning the first two games, Coquitlam fighting back to win the next two, setting up the deciding game Tuesday at the Q Center.

Starting goaltenders were Adam Bland for the Shamrocks and Connor Nichols for the Adanacs and it was Coquitlam getting on the board first, Robbie Turpin getting in close just 44 seconds in.  They increased the lead to a pair with Trevor Funk’s tally at 1:29, again in close.  Victoria regrouped quickly and rattled off 5 unanswered goals to take a 5-2 lead after 20 minutes.  Mitchell Sandberg got things going at 4:34 and Casey Wilson followed up just 39 seconds later with a hard, low shot to tie things up.  Sandberg picked up his second of the contest to give the Rocks a lead at 12:21, putting the ball over Nicholls late in the 30-second clock.  With a delayed penalty about to be called against the visitors and the extra attacker on the floor Trent Dicicco made it 4-2 Shamrocks at 16:46 with a hard shot off the far post.  Before the period ended, Noah Manning connected for the home team at 17:39 with a hard shot from outside the dotted line.  Shots on goal were 19-16 in favor of the Shamrocks and they had the 3 goal lead going into the dressing room.

The teams traded power play goals early in the middle frame, Manning getting his second for the home team at 1:45 again late in the 30-second clock with a bullet from the center slot.  Luke Turenne got that one back with the man advantage at 3:53 from the dotted line, a shot that Bland got a piece of but it managed to trickle across the line.  Dylan Johannes scored for the Shamrocks at 4:59 getting in close and Wilson added his second of the game at the 10-minute mark, following some great ball control around the crease.  Coquitlam collected a pair before the period ended, Jack Charbonneau scoring at 11:57, going to the net and Turenne getting his second of the contest at 15:37 with a hard shot from outside the dotted line.  The Adanacs held a slight 11-9 edge in shots on goal in the period but Victoria maintained their 3-goal lead at 8-5 after 40 minutes.

Victoria once again opened scoring in the final 20 minutes, Dicicco picking up his second at the 4:16 mark, working the ball around the crease but off the ensuing faceoff Kobe Mccomber replied for the visitors, walking in alone.  The Adanacs pulled within a pair with Charbonnneau’s second of the game at 5:13 with a hard shot from outside the dotted line.  Wilson picked up his hat trick marker for the Shamrocks with a power play marker at 8:37, again controlling the ball well around the crease.  Once again Coquitlam replied, this time Adam Noakes finding twine at 9:53 from the dotted line.  Sandberg then notched his hat trick goal for the Shamrocks at 12:03 with a hard shot from outside the dotted line to close out the scoring and provide the margin of victory.

Noah Manning led Victoria’s offense with a pair of goals and 6 helpers for an 8-point night.  Mitch Sandberg and Casey Wilson each had the hat trick and contributed 2 and 1 assist respectively.  Trent Dicicco chipped in a pair of goals and 2 helpers with Dylan Johannes scoring the other goal, adding 1 helper and Patrick Dodds had a 5-point night on all assists.  Adam Bland made 32 saves on the 40 shots he faced.

At the other end of the floor only Jack Charbonneau and Luke Turenne were able to solve Bland more than once, each with a pair of goals while Connor Nichols kicked out 33 of the 44 shots he faced between the pipes.

The Shamrocks will now go on to face the Langley Thunder in the league final which is expected to begin at the Q Center this weekend.