Shamrocks Feast on Salmonbellies

The Junior ‘A’ Shamrocks looked to maintain their hold on first place Saturday as they hosted the New Westminster Salmonbellies at the Q center.  They were successful as they defeated the visitors 15-10 on the strength of a 7-goal second period.

Starting goaltenders were Adam Bland for the Rocks and Ryan Downie for the ‘Bellies and it was the home team getting on the scoreboard first, Kyle Pepper scoring on a hard, low shot from outside the dotted line at 3:50.  That was followed by Noah Manning’s tally at 9:56 to make it 2-0 before New West replied.  They got a goal from Ezrah Glanville at 10:21 before Victoria came back with another pair to open up a 4-1 lead.  Patrick Dodds scored at 11:07 on a shovel shot in close and Isaac Swan scored unassisted at 13:28, diving across.  Before the period ended, however, the visitors went on a 3-goal run beginning with a power play goal off the stick off Reid Hinds-MacDonald at 15:12.  Off the ensuing faceoff, at 15:22 Glanville picked up his second of the game to narrow the lead to a single goal and at 18:14 he picked up his hat trick marker to tie the score at 4 heading into the dressing room.

The visitors took the lead for the first time 3:35 into the middle frame, Drew Andre getting in close to beat Bland.  Victoria answered back at 4:07, Dodds picking up his second off a steal and on a 2-on-1 break.  The Salmonbellies took the lead again with a pair of goals at 6:49 from Andrew Bishop and then a power play goal from Ben Stewart at 7:07.  That made the score 7-5 for the visitors but the Shamrocks’ offense got into high gear, rattling off 6 straight before the period expired.  Swan got things started with his second of the contest at 8:26 followed by Denton Macdonald’s tally at 8:31 from the faceoff.  Dodds picked up the hat trick at 9:34 and newcomer Shane Halliwell made it 9-7 at 10:04 as the home team scored 4 goals in a span of 1:38.  Pepper picked up his second of the game at 13:20, tip toeing in to the front and at 16:19 Dodds got his fourth.  After 40 minutes the home team held an 11-7 lead with the edge in shots on goal at 39-29.

Victoria kept the run going into period 3, scoring the first two goals, Dodds with his fifth, on the power play, at 2:20 with a quick stick from the side of the crease followed 7 seconds later with a goal from Brayden Laity, a new acquisition from the Port Coquitlam Saints.  The teams traded goals with New West scoring a power play goal at 4:30 that being Andre’s second of the game.  Both teams stayed off the scoresheet until 15:15 when Halliwell picked up his second with a hard shot from outside the dotted line.  That was the end of the night for Salmonbellies goaltender Downie as he was replaced by Alex Pocetti.  New West got a goal from Stewart, his second at 15:43 getting in close but Brodie Wade replied quickly for Victoria with an unassisted Hail Mary shot late in the 30-second clock at 17:26.  Glanville picked up his fourth of the game at 19:38 for the visitors but that was as close as they would come.

Shamrocks captain Patrick Dodds led the offense with 5 goals and 2 helpers while Denton Macdonald had a 4-point night on a goal and 3 assists.  Kyle Pepper chipped in a pair of goals and 2 helpers.  Isaac Swan and Shane Halliwell also had a pair of goals each with other goals coming from Noah Manning and Brodie Wade with a goal and 2 assists.  Newcomer Brayden Laity had his first goal as a Shamrock while Finn Halliday had 3 assists and Davis McCulley and Dylan Johannes had a pair of assists each.

For the visitors Ezrah Glanville had 4 goals while only Ben Stewart and Drew Andre were able to beat Bland more than once with each scoring twice.

The Junior ‘A’ Shamrocks are on the road Tuesday in Nanaimo with game time at the Frank Crane Arena at 7:00 pm.  They wrap up the season at home next Saturday at the Q Center when they will host the Port Coquitlam Saints.

The Tier 1 Junior ‘B’ Shamrocks are in action prior to that as they also host the Saints.  That game starts at 1:00 pm at the Q Center.