Shamrocks Chop Down Timbermen

It was the second instalment in the island series between the Jr. A. Shamrocks and the Nanaimo Tmbermen at the Q Centre Tuesday and the Rocks won the season series with a 16-13 victory and 1 game remaining between the two teams. 

It was Spencer Erwin getting the start for the home team and Dakota Kasper suiting up for the T’Men.  Victoria got on the board first with Cole Pickup going in right off the opening faceoff to score just 7seconds into the contest.  Brad McCulley made it 2-0 at the 30-second mark from inside the dotted line.  Nanaimo pulled within a goal at 2:14, Pascal Coombs getting in close before the teams traded goals once again.  McCulley picked up his second at 3:49 with a backhander from the dotted line.  Almost 7 minutes later, Will Johansson got the visitors back within a goal before Victoria went on a 4-goal run.  McCulley picked up his hat trick marker at 11:03 with a bullet from outside the dotted line.  Pickup added his second of the game on the power play at 13:03, an unassisted goal off a big rebound.  That chased Dakota in favour of Darian Claxton between the pipes for Nanaimo. It made no difference as McCulley added his fourth at 15:24 and Ben Preston added a power play goal at 16:12 on a bouncer to make it 7-2.  Nanaimo managed to rebound with a couple of their own power play markers, Coombs getting his second at 18:44 and Chase Fraser adding another at 19:58.  Shots on goal were 20-17 for the Shamrocks and they had the 7-4 lead going into the dressing room after the first. 

The Shamrocks scored first in the middle frame, Pickup getting his hat trick goal at 3:15 getting in close.  Nanaimo replied, Fraser getting his second, on the power play at 4:32 with a hard shotfrom outside the dotted line.  Back and forth they went as Pickup added his 4^th for the home team at 6:21, Coombs replying at 9:06 for the visitors with a quick stick in front.  Victoria added a pair at 9:52 and 15:28 from Braylon Lumb and Skyler Wilson but once again Nanaimo scored the final two goals of the period, in the last couple of minutes, Alec Molander scoring at19:05 with a bouncer from outside the dotted line and Johansson adding his second of the night with a quick stick from the side of the crease.  The Timbermen outshot the Rocks 17-14 in the period but they were still down by 3. 

Nanaimo started the third period scoring early, Coombs tallying just 41 seconds in but Pickup replied at 2:10 as he worked around a check to get in close.  Molander got his second for the visitors just 23 seconds later and again the Rocks replied, Lumb getting his second with a stealth move to the front of the net. Penalties played a large part in the last half of the period as the Shamrocks added 2 power play goals and 1 shorthanded tally while Nanaimo also managed one goal with the man advantage. Shots on goal in the final period were even at 19 and also even overall at 53 each but the Rocks came away with the big two points. 

Brad McCulley had the hot hand for the Shamrocks offense scoring 5 times and adding 5 helpers for a 10-point night.  Cole Pickup added 6 goals and 1 assist.  Ben Preston had 1 goal and 5 assists while Marshal King contributed 6 assists.  Braylon Lumb and Skyler Wilson each had a pair of goals.  Spencer Erwin went the distance in goal, kicking out 40 of the 53 shots he faced and Zack Homer had a strong night in the faceoff circle winning 21 of 30. 

Nanaimo’s Jake Mickelson had 9 assists to lead the Timbermen while Pascal Coombs had 5 goals and 1 assist, Cody Clark, Alec Molander and Will Johansson each adding a pair of goals in a losing effort. 

The result leaves the Shamrocks in a third place tie with the Langley Thunder who hold a game in hand.and just 2 points ahead of the Port Coquitlam Saints who hold 2 games in hand.  The Rocks will face these same Timbermen at the Q Centre at 8:00 next Tuesday, July 4 and finish the season at home on Saturday, July 8 at 5:00 pm when they will take on the Delta Islanders.  It will also be Fan Appreciation Day on July 8 with extra give-aways, team pictures and an autograph session following the game.