‘Rocks ride strong first period to victory over rival Timbermen on Friday

June 30, 2017

Nanaimo Timbermen 7 at Victoria Shamrocks 12 recap

‘Rocks ride strong first period to victory over rival Timbermen

Written by Justis Doucet

Victoria - The Island rivalry renewed for chapter 2 of the 2017 season, the only meeting of the season in Colwood. Casey Jackson's incredible eight goal game highlighted the opener, a 16-9 win for Victoria on the road in the Harbour City. Victoria rode a strong final two periods to the win, outscoring Nanaimo 13-6 in the last forty minutes. Friday the Shamrocks looked to get back into the win column after suffering nail biting 10-9 losses in both games of a home-and-home with Maple Ridge.

Corey Small got the ball rolling early, scoring his twenty-fourth of the season just two minutes in to open the scoring, as he beat Nanaimo net-minder Peter Dubenski between the wickets. The teams exchanged punches for the next ten minutes until Victoria found some breathing room. Jackson, looking to improve on his eight goal performance, scored his twentieth of the season. The Shamrocks duo of Jackson and Small (who has 24) are the only twenty goal scorers in the WLA. The Shamrocks doubled their lead in the final minute as Jackson added his second of the night and Josh Fagan Josh Fagan made it 4-0 thirty-five seconds apart. Victoria took that four-goal lead to the room while outshooting Nanaimo 17-10.

Adam Jay started the scoring in the second period for the visitors fifty-six seconds into the stanza. Jake Emma then made it 4-2 scoring shorthanded on a breakaway a few minutes later. Mike Triolo scored the second shorthanded goal of the season for the Shamrocks as he restored the three-goal lead with the assists credited to Greg Harnett and Aaron Bold. After Jake Cullen trimmed the deficit to two again, Casey Jackson finished off his hat trick to make it 6-3 Shamrocks. Nanaimo continued to hang around, this time trimming it to one, Chase Fraser scored back to back goals fifty seconds apart making it 6-5. Mike Triolo scored the third short-handed goal of the night and second for the Shamrocks splitting a pair of defenders with a swim move then roofing it on Dubenski making it 7-5. Victoria’s first period lead of four was cut in half as the ‘Rocks lead by two after forty minutes. Victoria also outshot the visitors 20-13 in the period and held a 37-23 shot advantage.

Victoria came out looking to close the book on the win, scoring three times in the first four minutes and change to turn a 7-5 lead into a comfortable 10-5 cushion. The Shamrocks had a pair of goals from Small, and a single from Triolo. Jake Cullen scored Nanaimo’s second shorthanded goal to make it 10-6. Cody Nass replied just over a minute later with his first of the night to regain the five-goal lead. After Nanaimo made it 11-7, Mike Triolo continued his penalty killing clinic, waiting for for the double team to come before splitting it and burying on the rush for his second short-handed goal, and fourth of the night. Victoria cruised to the finish with Triolo’s goal as the nail in the coffin. Corey Small had three goals and four assists, Mike Triolo was the game’s first star with four goals and a helper, and Casey Jackson had a hat-trick of his own with three goals and two assists. Coming into Friday night's game Victoria had just one shorthanded goal this season, Triolo changed that slightly, scoring three of his four goals a man down. Nanaimo’s Chase Fraser was the game’s third star with three points and a 17-3 record in the face-off circle. The Shamrocks and Timbermen meet one more time this season, two weeks from now, July 15th at the Frank Crane Arena.

Complete Game Stats: http://westernlacrosse.stats.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=3102271

Victoria Shamrocks player stats: http://bit.ly/2qAWxOo

Game Photos (credit Jay Wallace): https://www.dropbox.com/sh/u5haq9wqx3g55wr/AADV-RGPzRAEjz6faiIdvrsqa?dl=0

Next game: (AWAY) Wednesday July 5th, Victoria Shamrocks at Langley Thunder, 7:00pm, Langley Events Centre

Next HOME game: Friday July 7th vs Langley Thunder, 7:30pm at The Q centre. Fill the Cupboard Night (bring a non-perishable food item) presented by Island Savings, Tickets HERE or 250-478-7625