Rocks Open Playoffs with Win

The Tier 1 Shamrocks had to wait a while before hitting the floor for playoffs but the semi-finals started Saturday at the Q Center as the Rocks hosted the Burnaby Lakers and came out with a 12-5 win in the best-of-three series.

Colby Hyland got the start in goal for Victoria with Arjun Gill getting the nod for the Lakers.  Burnaby opened the scoring just 29 seconds in as Anthony Vargas got in close.  Victoria replied at 3:16, Ryan Lowe getting a shorthanded marker as he was being tackled in front of the net.  Matthew Hermsen put the home team ahead, going to the net at 3:30, an unassisted goal right from the faceoff.  Josh Verhagen made it 3-1 at 5:56, also getting in close before Vargas picked up his second of the contest for the visitors at 10:30.  That was all the scoring in the opening frame as the Shamrocks took a slim 3-2 lead to the dressing room.

Penalties and special teams saw a lot of action in period 2 but it was Evan Law opening the scoring for the Shamrocks at 2:59 getting in close.  Burnaby got back within a goal on a Marcus Jantzen tally at 6:18 on a run off a loose ball.  Victoria picked up a pair of power play goals, the first coming off the stick of Brett Bridges at 8:37 on a hard, low shot late in the 30-second clock.  Brett Herle made it 6-3 for the Rocks with another power play marker at 11:26, a low shot that goaltender Gill got a piece of.  Burnaby replied with a shorthanded and unassisted goal at 11:58 from Lucas Dancs.  The teams traded power play goals, Victoria getting one from Sam Strother at 13:28 on a run off the bench and Burnaby’s Oskar Lucas replying at 16:07.  Jenson Jones closed out the scoring and put Victoria up 8-5 on a breakaway off a turnover at 17:41.

The final period saw only 4 goals scored, all by the Shamrocks beginning with Coen Block’s tally just 25 seconds in on a bullet from outside the dotted line.  Strothers picked up his second of the contest on the power play at 9:35 then added his hat trick goal at 13:06, going to the net.  Hermsen added his second of the game at 17:42 to provide the margin of victory, that coming with Burnaby’s goaltender on the bench for the extra attacker.

Sam Strothers led Victoria’s attack with 3 goals and an assist.  Matthew Hermsen, not known as a goal-scorer added 2 goals and 2 helpers, also doing well in the faceoff circle.  Other goals came from Ryan Lowe, Brett Herle, Evan Law, Brett Bridges and Jenson Jones who all added an assist.  Josh Verhagen and Koen Block added singles while Jacob Obee chipped in 3 assists. Colby Hyland had a strong game between the pipes, holding the Lakers scoreless in period 3 and helping out the offense with 3 assists.

Game 2 is in Burnaby Sunday with game 3, if required, back at the Q Center on Tuesday.