Rocks Open Playoffs With Win

The Tier 1 Shamrocks opened their playoffs with a game 1 win at the Save-On Foods Memorial Centre Saturday, defeating the visiting Richmond Roadrunners by a 10-5 score.

The Shamrocks, finishing atop the standings played the 8^th place Roadrunners but it didn’t look like a mismatch through the first 20 minutes, which saw only 2 goals scored.  Richmond opened the scoring on a power play 10:40 into the opening period, Ryan Jensen tallying from outside the dotted line. Victoria didn’t find twine until the 19:03 mark, Jonathan Boyd going on a run to tie the score and that was how the period would end.  Only 3 penalties were called.

Victoria opened the scoring in period 2, Casey Wilson scoring from right in front at 1:01.  It would take a little over 6 minutes for the ‘Runners to reply, Jensen picking up his second of the game at 7:03 with a hard, low shot from the dotted line.  The Rocks’ offense seemed to get things in gear, scoring the next four goals to open up a 6-2 lead.  First it was Wilson, picking up his second on the power play at 9:09 with a quick stick from the side of the crease.  He added his hat trick marker at 14:47, that one coming shorthanded after some great penalty-killing work by Brody Black.  The Rocks went up 5-2 with Isaac Swan’s goal at 16:09, diving across in front of the crease and a power play goal from the aforementioned  Black at 19:06, an unassisted  goal made it 6-2.  Richmond would get one back before the period ended, Cade Blouin finding the back of the net with just 4 ticks left on the clock. A series of penalties disrupted the flow in the middle frame and would continue through the final 20 minutes.

Victoria again got the jump early in the final period, Garrett Wicks scoring at 3:34 with a quick stick in close.  Wilson got his fourth of the contest from inside the dotted line at 8:13 and it looked like the Rocks would run away with it. Richmond replied at 10:27, Josh Bourne tallying on the power play.  They couldn’t find any traction, however, as the Shamrocks scored 2 of the next 3, the first coming from Liam Phillips at11:05 on a run.  Another Richmond power play goal, this one off the stick of Jordan Roberts, at 15:09 gave the visitors some hope on the bench but they were dashed as Kyle Pepper scored what was the final goal of the contest at 18:06 with a quick stick in close.

Casey Wilson led Victoria’s offense with 4 goals.  Nic Coleman had 4 assists and Patrick Dodds had 3 assists.  Other goals came from Kyle Pepper, Liam Phillips, Brody Black, Garrett Wicks, Isaac Swan and Jonathan Boyd, the latter 2 also chipping in a pair of assists each.  Ryan Atkinson was solid, going the distance in goal to pick up the win.  

Game 2 in the best-of-3 series takes place Sunday on the mainland.

In other action, the Jr. ‘A’ Shamrocks fell to the Coquitlam Adanacs in game 1 of thei rbest-of-five semi final series on the mainland. They will be at the Save On Foods Memorial Centre for game 2 of that series Sunday at 1:00.