Shamrocks Still Looking for First Home Win

By Janice Huckin - It just wasn’t the Jr. Shamrocks’ night Saturday as they hosted the New Westminster Salmonbellies and came out on the short end of a 17-8 score. 

The visitors scored first, Johnny Person finding the net behind Victoria starting goaltender Charles Claxton exactly 1 minute into the contest. Victoria replied at 2:13, McLean Chicquen tallying 8 seconds into a power play with a bullet from the dotted line. Things went south pretty quickly after that. The ‘Bellies scored 3 goals in a span of 2:46, one of those coming on the power play as Ryley Brown replaced Claxton with the score 3-1. Victoria got one back at 6:27, also a power play marker this one off the stick of Ryan Lewis. New West rattled off the next 3 to go up by a 7-2 score before yet another Victoria power play goal got the home team within 4. That goal came at 18:28 following some great passing work and Karver Everson getting in close. Shots on goal were pretty even, the Salmonbellies holding a 15-13 edge. 

Victoria came out with some renewed energy in the middle frame, capitalizing within the first minute when Chicquen picked up his second at the 54-second mark. Aidan Paike drew the home team within a pair at 2:31 with a hard underhand shot to get fans back into the game. Unfortunately that was short-lived as the visitors rattled off 3 straight goals, 2 on the power play and one shorthanded. The teams traded goals to finish the period, Cole Pickup powering to the net to score at 15:30 and New West, with an extra attacker on a delayed penalty call, rounded out the scoring at 18:14. The visitors had increased their lead by 1, 11-6 after 40 minutes. 

Shamrocks captain Max Fredrickson scored early in period 3 but the Salmonbellies ran circles around the home team, rattling off another 5-goal spree before Fredrickson connected again at 16:11. That goal drew a crowd around the New West crease and resulted in a number of penalties. The visitors capped the game off with a shorthanded goal at 18:31. 

It certainly wasn’t the performance home fans wanted to see but this Shamrock team is young, unfamiliar and will hopefully gel moving forward. New Westminster, for its part, looks to be a serious Minto Cup contender again this season. 

Max Fredrickson and McLean Chicquen each scored twice for the Shamrocks with singles coming from Aidan Paike, Ryan Lewis, Karver Everson and Cole Pickup. Matt Hamilton chipped in 3 helpers. 

Next up for the Shamrocks is a road game Sunday against the Langley Thunder, whom the Rocks defeated a couple of weeks ago. They return home Sunday, May 25 to host the Delta Islanders, still looking for their first win in front of the home crowd. That will be a 5:00 pm start at the Q Centre.