Shamrocks Grind Out Another “W”

It wasn’t pretty, in fact it’s safe to say it was a chippy game without much flow at all, but it’s two points the Jr. Shamrocks are happy to have as they picked up a win Saturday at the Q Centre, defeating the visiting Langley Thunder 16-12. 

It was a shooting gallery (each team cracking the half century mark with Langley taking a 55-54 edge in the category) and it was a slugfest with several instances of extra-curricular action as the on-floor officials definitely had their hands full. Starting goaltenders were Charles Claxton for Victoria and Steven Mayervich for the visitors. 

Goals came early in every period and in the opening frame it was Langley’s Dustin Doudelet getting in alone off the opening faceoff to beat Claxton just 12 seconds in. Victoria got that one back at 7:30, getting a 2-on-1 break off transition off the stick of Cole Pickup. Pickup grabbed another on the power play at 10:29, that one unassisted off a rebound. The Rocks made it 3-1 just 27 seconds later as McLean Chicquen scored on a hard, low shot. Special teams were a major factor for both teams all night and at 16:25 it was Langley’s James Rahe tallying on the power play, getting in close. The Rocks re-gained a 2-goal lead on Matt Hamilton’s power play goal at 18:44 as he connected on a hard shot from the dotted line. Langley had the edge in shots on goal 19-15 but it was the Shamrocks ahead 4-2 on the scoreboard after 20 minutes. 

Just 12 seconds into period 2, the Rocks stretched their lead to 3 when Derek Lecky scored from the faceoff and Matt Hamilton faked high and beat Mayervich low at the 37-second mark to make it 6-2 Shamrocks. Rahe replied for Langley at 3:31 with a high hard one but Intermediate ‘A’ call-up Nick Preston replied at 5:16 as the Jr. Rocks are getting good production out of all their call-ups this season. After that the special teams got back into the action as the Thunder scored 3 of the next 4 goals, all on the power play while the Shamrocks got a shorthanded marker from Pickup at 11:17. With the score 8-6 for the home team, Pickup scored on a shot that came almost from the player’s bench at 14:11 and the Rocks picked up another shorthanded goal at 16:29, that coming from the stick of Nate Wade as goaltender Claxton got a long bomb down the floor to a streaking Wade. The Thunder managed one more before the period ended, Rahe picking up what would be his 4th of the game to that point, getting on a run and beating Claxton at 18:59. 

Once again the opening faceoff produced a goal in the final period and this time it was Langley getting in alone, Rahe picking up his 5th, unassisted just 7 seconds in. The teams traded goals a couple of times, Victoria replying at the 39-second mark with a shot from the dotted line by Ryan Lewis and Rahe getting that one back at 3:30. In fact in the third period let’s make the scoring, Victoria 6, Rahe 4 with Bryce Brochu adding the other Langley Thunder. At the 7:06 mark the score was tied 12-12 after the Thunder had scored twice shorthanded in a 10-second span as Victoria’s defense seemed to doze off. Fortunately the offense re-ignited as the Rocks rattled off 4 straight to pull away as Pickup added his fifth of the game at 8:21, team captain Max Fredrickson collected a pair, the first coming at 9:02 and the second at 16:24 on a nifty spin-around move. Mason Pynn put the game away, scoring from the side of the crease at 16:42. The Shamrocks used the clock to their advantage during the last few minutes to limit any further damage. 

Leading the way for the Shamrocks was Cole Pickup who picked up 5 goals and 3 assists and was all over the floor all night. Jake Cullen also had a solid game with a goal and 6 assists while McLean Chicquen had a goal and 4 helpers. Matt Hamilton and Max Fredrickson each had a pair of goals with other singles coming from Derek Lecky, Nate Wade, Ryan Lewis, Mason Pynn and Nick Preston. Charles Claxton had 43 saves and contributed a couple of assists to the offense. 

For Langley it was the James Rahe show as he collected 8 goals and 3 helpers. 

The result gives the Shamrocks 21 points, good enough for a 1-point lead over the 4th place Delta Islanders but holding 2 games in hand. Next action for the Irish is Sunday on the mainland where they will face the Port Coquitlam Saints. They return to the Q Centre next Saturday, June 28 at 5:00 pm to host the second place Coquitlam Adanacs in the first of a home-and-home series against the A’s. You can also catch the Intermediate ‘A’ Shamrocks in action next Saturday at 1:30 at the Q Centre when they will play the Maple Ridge Burrards. 

Janice Huckin