Shamrocks Still Unbeaten 10 Games In

The Tier 1 Junior B Shamrocks remain perfect at 10-0 after a 15-11 home floor victory over the Port Coquitlam Saints Saturday.

Starting goaltenders were Mason Weir for the visitors and Matthew Denis for the Shamrocks. PoCo scored first, Ayden Chilman getting in close at 2:27 but Victoria got that back when Jordan Alexander scored unassisted at 5:59 off a rebound. They then took a 2-goal lead on a pair of power play markers, the first by Landon Lockwood at 7:48, a shot that trickled in and then Alexander’s second of the game at 10:06, cutting across in front. The visitors re-took the lead on a 3-goal run beginning with a pair from Spencer McEvoy at 12:59 as he tucked in a shot from the side then an unassisted goal at 14:51 on a run. That was followed by Callum Turpin’s goal at 16:05. Once again, Victoria responded, tying the score at 4 at 19:23 on a goal by Breckyn Williams as he reached in from behind and taking the lead with just 2 ticks left on the clock as Sawyer McKay scored after a Victoria time out and with the goaltender on the bench for an extra attacker.

Victoria took charge in period 2, outscoring the visitors 6-2 beginning at the 19-second mark with Jaden Roach’s goal off a rebound from the side of the net. McKay picked up his second of the game at 7:22 on a power play but the visitors got a power play goal of their own at 9:41, Matyas Knotek firing from inside the dotted line. Goals came fast and furious as Victoria tallied 4 goals in slightly more than 4 minutes beginning with Alexander’s third and fourth goals of the game at 10:47 when the goaltender went down and he picked the top of the net and at 11:43 from a scramble in front of the net. Roach then notched his second of the game at12:42 with a hard shot from outside the dotted line and Lockwood picking up his second goal at 14:50, that goal coming with the man advantage. The Saints managed one more before the period ended, Turpin getting his second of the contest at 15:49 to bring the score to 11-6 for the home team heading into the final 20 minutes.

Period 3 became a bit of a penalty parade, the Shamrocks being assessed with 8 of the 9 penalties which resulted in the Saints outscoring the Rocks by a 5-4 advantage including 3 with the man advantage. It was the home team scoring first, however, Dane Kinney connecting just 24 seconds in from inside the dotted line. Lockwood picked up his hat trick marker 25 seconds later, that goal driving Weir from the PoCo crease in favour of Aaron MacRae. Knotek replied for the visitors at 4:45 with his team holding a 5-on-3 manpower advantage. Weir returned to the crease and Chilman picked up his second of the game on another power play. Williams replied for Victoria with his second of the game at 8:41 and exactly one minute later team captain Aiden Rintoul scored unassisted to make the score 15-8. The Saints scored the final 3 goals of the game, the first from Tyler Nadalin at 13:31 on the power play followed by Gabriel Howard at 14:07 ad Chilman, picking up the hat trick at 14:46.

The Shamrocks offense was led by Jordan Alexander with an 8 point game on 4 goals and 4 assists while Landon Lockwood contributed 3 goals and 3 assists. Jaden Roach and Sawyer McKay chipped in 2 goals and 2 helpers while Dane Kinney also had a 4-point game on a goal and 3 assists. Rounding out the scoring were Breckyn Williams with 2 goals and Aiden Rintoul with a single.

Two players had strong outings for the Saints with Aden Chilman getting the hat trick and 5 helpers and Callum Turpin with 2 goals and 5 assists.

The Tier 1 Junior B Shamrocks are in Delta Sunday but return to the Q Center on Tuesday, June 2 with a mid-week battle against their island rivals, the Nanaimo Timbermen. Game time is 7:30 pm – always a great rivalry so if you can make it out to the game, you won’t be disappointed.

- Janice Huckin