2013 Victoria Jr. A Shamrocks
June 16, 2013
Bellies Jump Ahead of Rocks
After a couple of games in which the Jr. Shamrocks outscored their opponents by a margin of 39-18, they found themselves on the losing end of a 17-8 score at the hands of the New Westminster Salmonbellies in Queen’s Park Arena Sunday evening.
Yes, there’s a big difference when you come up against the Bellies and it showed early as New West jumped out to a 6-0 lead by the 9:25 point of the first period, driving Victoria starting goalie Cody Hagedorn from the net in favour of Derek Anderson. Anthony Malcolm got things started just 1:29 in getting in close and burying the ball. Kyle Dobbie followed up at 2:08 with a hard low shot from outside the dotted line and at 3:23 Josh Byrne scored from far out as well. Malcolm’s 2nd of the game came off a pass from the back of the net at 7:32 and at 8:15 it was Byrne getting his 2nd on the power play, going right to the front of the net. Alex Bohl made it 6-0 from the dotted line at 9:15 and Hagedorn was relieved. Dane Sorensen finally got the Shamrocks on the board at 10:34 working through traffic to the front of the net. Byrne came right back for the Bellies at 12:13 with a hard overhand shot from well out. A Victoria power goal off the stick of Brody Eastwood closed the gap to 5 goals but New West added a pair before the period ended. Malcolm picked up his hat trick marker on the power play goal at 16:57 and Jeremy Bosher made it 9-2 at 17:23, getting to the front of the net unmolested. The Salmonbellies were 2-for-2 on the power play and held a big edge in shots on goal 23-11 after 20 minutes.
The Shamrocks had a better second period but were outscored 5-4 overall but were unable to really get anything going. Period 3 was much the same with New West tallying 3 times to Victoria’s twice. While the Rocks outshot the home team 21-18 in the middle frame the Bellies took the lead in that category 24-13 in period 3. It was certainly a turn-around for the Shamrocks to be on the receiving end of a 65-shot performance. Play deteriorated late in the game with a player from each team taking 5-minute fighting major penalties and game misconducts.
Jesse King had a 5-point night for the Shamrocks, all assists while Brody Eastwood had 4 goals. Dane Sorensen had a pair of goals while Devon Casey and Dane Schoor each had 1 goal and added 1 and 2 assists respectively. Chris Wardle chipped in 2 helpers.
The Salmonbellies dominated, getting 4 goals and 6 assists from Josh Byrne and 5 goals and 3 assists from Anthony Malcolm. Chris Nasato, Jeremy Bosher and Jakob Doucet each had 2 goals and Kyle Dobbie had a goal and 3 assists. Alex Bohl had the other New West tally.
The result moves New Westminster into a second place tie with Delta at 20 points, 2 behind league-leading Coquitlam who picked up a pair of wins against Nanaimo this weekend. Victoria sits in third place with 18 points, followed by Langley with 16 and Port Coquitlam with 14. The Salmonbellies win also gives them the edge in head-tohead play between the two teams should a tie-breaker be required come playoff time. The Shamrocks play their next 2 games on the road back-to-back next weekend as they face Delta Saturday and Langley Sunday. Next home game is Saturday, June 29 against Langley.
By Janice Huckin
June 15, 2013
Shamrocks Overpower Saints
The Port Coquitlam Saints came into Bear Mountain Arena Saturday under-manned and were overpowered by the Victoria Shamrocks 20-7. It was a second explosive offensive output by the Rocks, totaling 39 goals in the last 2 games. They held period leads of 7-2 and 14-5 on their way to the victory and outshot the Saints 64-36.
Cody Hagedorn got the start in goal for Victoria with Garrett Spann his counterpart at the PoCo end of the floor. The Saints came in with just 15 runners, one of whom was an intermediate call-up and following a tough battle the night before so things really didn’t look too promising for them from the start.
The party started just 30 seconds in when Devon Casey put the home team ahead 1-0 with a hard shot. Chris Wardle made it 2-0 with a good second shot in close at 4:13. Dominik Pesek followed that up with a bullet from the dotted line at 6:05 and the goals just kept coming. Dane Schoor notched a goal at 6:55 followed by a Jesse King marker at 8:05. Dane Sorensen picked up the final two goals of the period at 9:11 and 17:42, both with a quick stick in close. Shots on goal were 26-13 in favour of Victoria and Port Coquitlam seemed to be having a lot of trouble handling the ball.
The middle frame saw the Rocks again with an advantage in shots on goal but the Saints started to find the net as they picked up 5 goals, two on the power play. The Shamrocks scored 7 and made a goaltending change 8:16 into the period, replacing Hagedorn with Derek Anderson.
The visitors could not make a game of it, simply running out of steam as they were outscored 6-2 in the final 20 minutes. Give credit to Port Coquitlam for not quitting – they gutted it out right to the end.
Lots of scoring obviously – Jesse King finished the game with 6 goals and 6 assists. Dominik Pesek had a very strong game with the hat trick and 4 helpers while Devon Casey picked up a pair of goals and 4 helpers. Conrad Chapman, Dane Sorensen, Dane Schoor and Chris Wardle each had a pair of goals, Wardle also adding 2 assists. Intermediate Shamrocks call-up Adam Jay had the other Shamrock goal while Jamie Sorensen and Jordan Cunningham, in his first game after returning from school contributed 3 assists. Russell Kirk and Max Fredrickson each had 2 helpers. Goaltenders Cody Hagedorn and Derek Anderson combined for 29 saves.
For Port Coquitlam, Connor Goodwin had a goal and 4 assists. Tanner Fisher (2 goals and 2 assists) and Garrett Chan (1 goal and 3 helpers) had 4 point nights with Cory Copp adding a goal and 2 assists.
While 20 goals is indeed an impressive total, Jr. Shamrocks fans are hoping the team saved a few for their next few games. They go into Queen’s Park Arena Sunday to face the New Westminster Salmonbellies who, I’m sure, won’t give up 20 goals. This match-up is the ‘rubber’ in the season series which is tied 1-1. The Rocks continue on the road next weekend with a doubleheader in Delta and Langley before returning home in two weeks, Saturday, June 29 to face Langley. These will be big tests for the team as we had into the home stretch.
If you’re looking for some action here next weekend, the Intermediate Shamrocks will host the Coquitlam Adanacs Saturday at Bear Mountain Arena in a 2:00 p.m. start.
By Janice Huckin
June 12, 2013
T’Men No Match for Shamrocks
In the second instalment of the Vancouver Island series the Jr. Shamrocks jumped out to a 9-2 first period lead and never really looked back, handing the visiting Nanaimo Timbermen a 19-11 defeat Tuesday at Bear Mountain Arena.
Charles Claxton got the start in goal for the Rocks while workhorse Pete Dubenski started for Nanaimo. It looked for the first few minutes like it would be a defensive contest but when the goals started, they came quickly and often for the boys in green. At 4:28 Victoria’s Max Fredrickson took a pass on the corner of the crease to put the home team up by 1. That was the first of 6 Rocks goals in less than 3 minutes. Brody Eastwood connected at 5:17 followed by Dane Sorensen capitalizing in close at 5:37. Conrad Chapman made it 4-0 at 5:44 on a breakaway off the faceoff and Eastwood increased the gap to 5 goals cutting to the net at 6:24. Capping off the 6-goal run was Fredrickson with his second at 7:26. Brett Fleming finally got the Timbermen on the board at 8:18 when a long hard shot got behind Claxton. Victoria came back with 3 straight goals on the power play, Dane Schoor from the corner of the crease at 11:57, Chris Wardle finishing off some great passing at 13:15 and Schoor getting his second at 18:05. Nick Sanderson managed to get one more back for Nanaimo with just 5 ticks left on the clock when he caught the Shamrocks napping on what they thought was a 30-second clock infraction. That made the score 9-2 after the first with the Rocks holding a big edge in shots on goal, 20-11.
The second period was much tamer in terms of scoring as Victoria scored the first 3 goals of the period, followed by Nanaimo coming back with 3 in the second half of the period. Chris Kasper capitalized on a long shot through traffic just 45 seconds in. Schoor then got his hat trick goal at 3:18 gathering in a long outlet pass off a loose ball battle. At 6:56 Kasper collected his second getting in alone and faking Dubenski out. Devon Casey made it 13-2 at 9:35 on a long shot and that prompted the visitors to make a goaltending change, substituting Nate Clarke for Dubenski. Clarke played well and his teammates gave him some support, scoring the next 3 goals. Terrin Davies scored on a nifty little backhander in close at 10:43 then Corey Shires notched one on the power play at 13:50, firing a bullet from just ouside the dotted line. Shires picked up his second of the contest at 18:01 on a hard low shot with a delayed penalty about to be called on the Rocks. The visitors held the edge in shots on goal in the middle frame by a 23-12 margin but were only marginally closer on the scoreboard as Victoria took a 13-5 lead to the dressing room.
A flurry of scoring got the third period under way, 7 goals in the first 5:13 but 5 by the home team. It was Nanaimo getting things started just 29 seconds in, Fleming getting his second on the power play, faking high and shooting low with a 5-on-3 man advantage. Schoor picked up his 4th of the game for the Rocks, a shorthanded marker at 1:02. Wardle got his second on the power play at 2:20 for Victoria, squeezing the ball inside the post but Sanderson collected his second for the T’Men, shorthanded at 3:07, a shot that trickled through. The home team rattled off 3 more in the next minute and 12 seconds, a power play from Jesse King at 4:01, Jake Cullen on a bullet from outside the dotted line at 5:00 and Jamie Sorensen adding to the total at 5:13. Nanaimo came back with 3 of their own off the sticks of Mitch Parker, Sanderson with his third of the contest shorthanded and Davies his second at 126. The teams traded goals before the game ended, Eastwood getting his third for Victoria and Parker his second for Nanaimo at 19:31. Shots on goal at the end of the game were 51-49 for the Rocks so Nanaimo came back strong in the second half of the game.
Jesse King led the Shamrocks with a goal and 5 assists. Three of his teammates had 5-point nights: Dane Schoor with 4 goals and 1 assist, Brody Eastwood with the hat trick and 2 helpers, Chris Wardle 2 goals and 3 assists, Devon Casey had a goal and 4 helpers. Max Fredrickson and Chris Kasper each had 2 goals and 2 assists. Other Victoria scorers were Dane Sorensen, Jamie Sorensen, Conrad Chapman and Jake Cullen. Intermediate call-up Matt Hamilton had a solid outing, contributing 4 assists and Charles Claxton was strong between the pipes, kicking out 38 of the 49 shots he faced to pick up his first win.
For the Timbermen it was Mitch Parker leading the way with 2 goals and 4 assists. Local product Nick Sanderson had the hat trick and 1 assist with Cory Shires picking up 2 goals and 3 assists. Brett Fleming and Terrin Davies each had a pair of goals and Macgregor Johnston had 4 helpers. It was a tough night for starting goaltender Pete Dubenski but Nate Clarke was pretty strong in relief.
The result leaves the Shamrocks in a 3-way tie for second place in the league standings, 2 points behind the league-leading Delta Islanders and 2 ahead of the Langley Thunder. Next home game for the Rocks is Saturday at 5:00 pm when they will host the Port Coquitlam Saints at Bear Mountain Arena. It will be the first meeting between the two teams, the 6th place Saints having a pretty good season, only 6 points out of first place.
By Janice Huckin
June 8, 2013
Rocks Fall to Islanders
The Jr. Shamrocks had the chance to jump into a first place tie with the Delta Islanders Saturday on the mainland but their efforts fell short as they came out on the losing end of a 14-8 score.
Cody Hagedorn was in goal for Victoria with Ryland Hood between the pipes for the home team. The Rocks got on the board first when Dane Schoor collected a pass right in front and put it in the back of the net at the 1:18 mark. That goal was actually a shorthanded marker with Tom Arsenault serving a double minor for a check from behind. Delta tied things up on that power play at 2:47, Eli McLaughlin firing a bullet from the dotted line. The Islanders got into some penalty trouble of their own but Victoria was unable to capitalize. In fact, the home team scored two shorthanders from Evan Messenger at 4:18 and Mike Henry at 5:06. They added an even strength goal at 8:48, Messenger going over top of Hagedorn. Another power play goal from McLaughlin at 9:34 had the Islanders up 5-1. Victoria stopped the bleeding at 11:19, Max Fredrickson getting in close and putting the ball over the Delta goaltender. The teams traded goals before the period ended, Jonathan Phillips scoring for the Islanders on a hard sub shot through traffic at 13:20 and Brody Eastwood replying for the Shamrocks at 13:37 on what appeared to be a set play following a time-out. The score after 20 minutes was 6-3 in favour of Delta although Victoria held the slight edge in shots at 14-13.
Victoria got on the board first again in the middle frame, Eastwood picking up his second of the contest at 6:25 with a shot to the top corner. It was a little over 5 minutes before the next scoring play and it was McLaughlin picking up his hat trick marker from right in front at 11:39. Schoor picked up his second of the game, taking it upon himself to walk it in and find twine from right in front at 14:12. Once again the Shamrocks were within a pair but Delta came back with two more before the period ended, Phillips getting his second at 17:18 and McLaughlin his fourth on the power play at 18:04 wit a hard overhand from the center slot. Going to the dressing room after two periods, the Islanders had increased their lead to 4, 9-5.
Cody Nass made it a 5-goal lead just 1:57 into the final period, jumping up and depositing the ball behind Hagedorn. The Shamrocks started to get rolling for a while as Schoor picked up his third on the power play from the corner of the crease at 3:55. At 4:31, another Victoria power play goal, almost identical but from the other side of the net off the stick of Chris Wardle closed the gap to 3. Schoor got his fourth at 7:05, from the same spot as his earlier marker and again on the power play. With lots of time left, it looked like the Rocks might make one of their patented comebacks. But no, Delta had other plans that included scoring the final four goals of the game, the final two on the power play as Victoria again had problems with their discipline in the late going.
The Shamrocks were led offensively by Dane Schoor with 4 goals. Brody Easstwood chipped in a pair goals with singles coming from Max Fredrickson and Chris Wardle who also contributed 3 assists. Jesse King failed to score on 10 shots but did pick up 6 helpers. Again penalties were a big part of the story with the Islanders connecting for 5 power play goals and 1 shorthanded.
Eli McLaughlin was the leading scorer for Delta with 4 goals and 3 assists while Jonathan Phillips, Tyler Nett, Cody Nass and Evan Messenger each had a pair with Messenger adding 5 helpers.
The result pulls Delta further into the lead in league standings with 18 points. New Westminster and Coquitlam are right behind with 16, Victoria with 14 followed by Langley with 12 and Port Coquitlam with 10. A very tight race heading into the second half of the season – hang onto your hat, it’s going to be a wild ride.
Victoria next plays this Tuesday, June 11 at Bear Mountain Arena when the Nanaimo Timbermen come to town. Game time is 8:00 p.m.
By Janice Huckin
June 1, 2013
Will the Real Shamrocks Please Stand Up
Well, the Jr. Shamrocks have really become a Jekyll and Hyde act lately. After winning two games last weekend, one with an ‘ok’ effort against the Burnaby Lakers and then a great all-round team effort against the Coquitlam Adanacs, tonight they were not sharp as they hosted the New Westminster Salmonbellies and came out on the losing end of a 13-10 score.
Cody Hagedorn got the start in goal for the Shamrocks and it was Frankie Scigliano between the pipes at the visitors’ end of the floor. In fact, the Rocks got off to a quick start, scoring the first two goals of the game. At 1:24 Max Fredrickson, got a slick low shot in the back of the net, late in the 30-second clock. At 2:41 Mason Pynn got in alone off a loose ball battle and it was 2-0 green. The visitors got on the board at 8:03 when Quinn Smith scored a power play goal on a hard shot from outside the dotted line. That was the first of 5 unanswered goals in the opening frame. At 12:53 Daniel Perreault put a shot in the top corner of the net, followed by a shorthanded marker at 14:55 from the stick of Connor Robinson. That goal should not have happened as he simply walked around the defense despite being down a man. Anthony Malcolm made it 4-2 visitors at 17:16 getting in close and just 26 seconds later Josh Byrne connected to give the ‘Bellies a 5-2 lead going into the dressing room after 20 minutes. It was a period seriously lacking finish in Victoria’s case but give credit to New West as they applied pressure.
The Salmonbellies made it 6-2 just 2:16 into period 2, a shot that squeezed inside the post off the stick of Luke Gillespie. The Rocks replies at 2:39, Dane Sorensen getting in close to beat Scigliano. They couldn’t get anything really going, however and the visitors collected the next 2 goals at 3:18 and 3:50 from Smith, his second, and Chris Nasato, both goals coming on a 5-minute power play when Victoria’s Conrad Chapman was assessed a major penalty for highsticking. It looked like the Rocks would make a run for it, scoring the next 3 goals in a span of a minute and a half. At 13:14 Jake Cullen found twine, followed by a bullet from Dominik Pesek at 14:41 that was in and out very quickly but picked up by the referee. Brody Eastwood connected after some fancy footwork in front at 15:02 and the Rocks were within a pair. Not for long, however as Kyle Dobbie re-gained the 3-goal lead at 18:50 with the visitors getting a 3-on-2 break off transition. The score was 9-6 after 40 minutes and the Bellies held an edge in shots on goal of 42-30 over the two periods.
New West again scored early in the final frame, Reese Robinson connecting just under the crossbar at 1:58. At 2:57 Jake Cullen collected his second for the Shamrocks with a hard overhand shot from the dotted line. Again the visitors continued to press and scored the next two, Smith getting his third at 7:24 and Connor Robinson his second at 8:36. Victoria went on a 3-goal run, Eastwood scoring at 14:49 diving across the front of the net. Pynn connected for his second, doing it mostly on his own at 16:19 and Dane Sorensen picking up his second of the contest at 19:01. It was too little, too late and Smith bagged his fourth for the Bellies at 19:31 into the empty net.
Overall it was a game in which the Shamrocks weren’t really sharp, frequently guilty of throwing the ball away or alternatively holding it too long. The offense came from a few different players than those we are used to which I guess could be a good thing in the long run. Dane Sorensen, Brody Eastwood, Mason Pynn and Jake Cullen each picked up a pair of goals. Max Fredrickson and Dominik Pesek had the other goals with Pesek also chipping in a pair of helpers. Jesse King, Jamie Sorensen and Dane Schoor had 2 assists each and Cody Hagedorn stopped 44 of the 57 shots he faced and added 3 assists.
For the visiting Salmonbellies Quinn Smith had 4 goals, Connor Robinson a pair and 7 other players scoring singles.
The result leaves the Shamrocks as 1 of 5 teams tied for top spot in the league. The team NOT tied are the Port Coquitlam Saints, Burnaby Lakers and Nanaimo Timbermen. The Rocks are on the road Sunday to face the Burnaby Lakers and return to Bear Mountain on Tuesday June 11 to face the Nanaimo Timbermen at 8:00 pm.
By Janice Huckin
May 26, 2013
Rocks Dump Adanacs
The Jr. Shamrocks travelled across the pond to take on their archrivals, the Coquitlam Adanacs Sunday. On the line was the edge in the season series between the two teams and it was the Rocks coming out on top with a 15-8 victory.
Starting goaltenders were Cody Hagedorn for Victoria and Davide DiRuscio for Coquitlam. The Adanacs got on the board first, in fact at the 43-second mark when Reid Reinholdt scored from the corner of the crease. They jumped out to a 2-0 lead at 4:10, Spencer Stevens connecting on the power play from the dotted line. The Shamrocks got one back at 5:22, with the teams playing 4-on-4, Jesse King finding twine but another power play goal from the Adanacs’ Stevens at 10:00 restored the 2-goal lead. Just 23 seconds later, Matt Symes made it 4-1 for the home team, scoring from the side of the crease. They probably thought they had a handle on things but the Shamrocks came back with a pair before the period ended, both off the stick of Brody Eastwood. He finished off a quick give-and-go with Chris Wardle at 13:36 then put another in the back of the net at 19:49, finishing off another tic-tac-toe passing play. That got the visitors within a goal, as they went to the dressing room down 4-3. Shots on goal were pretty even, Coquitlam holding just a slight edge 16-13.
The Adanacs notched a goal early in period 2, Stevens completing the hat trick at 1:44 with a hard shot from the dotted line. After that, the boys in green got on a roll, scoring the next 5 goals. At 2:31 Chris Wardle collected a cross-floor pass and put home a shot from the corner of the crease. A break off transition got King his second goal of the game at 4:18 to tie the score at 5. Wardle picked up his second of the game at 5:47, the first of 3 straight for the veteran forward, going to the net to beat DiRuscio. His next came at 6:50, again getting to the front of the net to finish off some good passing. That sent DiRuscio to the bench in favour of Giulio DelBianco. That didn’t phase Wardle as he picked up his fourth of the contest at 8:08, diving across the net and giving the Shamrocks an 8-5 lead. At the other end of the floor, Hagedorn was coming up big, perhaps his best save of the night came when he dived to deflect a shot as he was out of the net. The Adanacs finally managed to get one by him at 14:08, a power play goal from Vincent Ricci. Before the period ended, the Rocks put two more on the board. Nick Kapusty connected on a long hard shot at 16:52 with the teams playing 4-on-4 and Devon Casey took a pass on the corner of the crease and put it in the back of the net at 18:51. Exit Del Bianco – Re-enter DiRuscio in the Coquitlam net. After 40 minutes, Victoria had the lead 10-6, with shots on goal still relatively even.
Coquitlam again struck early when the third period got under way, Steven Neufeld, getting in close to beat Hagedorn at 1:11. They were unable to maintain any momentum, however, and it was Victoria’s Casey picking up his second goal of the game at 2:41, followed by a 5th tally from Wardle at 3:47, getting a breakaway and putting the ball just inside the post. The A’s battled back for one more, Stevens putting one in the back of the net on a low shot at 4:12. After that, it was all Shamrocks as King picked up a pair, the first going through the legs of DiRuscio at 6:13, the second coming with the man advantage at 9:10 on a long but hard shot. Conrad Chapman picked up the final goal of the game, on the power play into the empty net while Coquitlam tried to kill the penalty with the goalie on the bench, that one coming at 10:50.
It was an outstanding team performance by the Shamrocks after a couple of wins that were accomplished with less than their best efforts and it came in a very important game against one of the top teams in the league. Jesse King finished the night with 9 points on 4 goals and 5 assists. Chris Wardle had 5 goals and 2 helpers while Devon Casey also picked up 7 points on 2 goals and 5 assists. Brody Eastwood picked up a pair of goals and 3 assists. Dane Schoor continued his strong play with 4 assists. Nick Kapusty and Conrad Chapman had the other Victoria goals and Cody Hagedorn was outstanding in goal making 37 saves, many of the spectacular variety and at crucial times in the game.
For the Adanacs only Spencer Stevens had multiple goals, finishing with 4 goals and 1 assist. Reid Reinholdt had a goal and 3 helpers in a losing cause.
The result has the Shamrocks tied with Delta and Coquitlam atop the league standings but given top placing based on having played fewer games than either of those teams. Next action for the Jr. Rocks is a home game next Saturday against the New Westminster Salmonbellies. Start time is 5:00 p.m. at Bear Mountain Arena.
By Janice Huckin
May 25, 2013
Shamrocks Double Lakers
The Jr. Shamrocks doubled the last place Burnaby Lakers 14-7 at Bear Mountain Arena Saturday. The score sounds more of a runaway than it actually was as the Lakers stayed with the Rocks for 2 periods before surrendering 6 unanswered goals in period 3.
Starting goaltenders were Cody Hagedorn for the Rocks and Xander McDonald for the Lakers. Victoria took the early lead when some quick ball movement paid off in a goal by Chris Wardle at 3:48 but the Lakers got that one back just 15 seconds later when Brendan Shea scored. Burnaby jumped into the lead at 6:10 when Danny Spagnuolo let go a heavy shot in front. Dominik Pesek got the home team even at 8:20, going to the front of the net and Devon Casey got the lead back for the Shamrocks at 9:18, going in alone off a loose ball pick-up. But the Lakers came back with 2 goals in 30 seconds near the end of the period as Justin Appels’ persistence paid off and at 18:54 Shea picked up his second to restore a 1-goal lead for the visitors going into the dressing room after 20 minutes. The Rocks had a slim 20-16 edge in shots on goal.
The Lakers extended their lead at 2:30 of period 2 when Shea scored his hat trick goal with a bouncer through Hagedorn’s legs. That was a wake-up call for the Shamrocks and they did wake up, pounding in the next 5 goals. Dane Schoor notched a shorthanded marker at 4:16 and followed up with his second at 7:37, on a fast-break transition. Brody Eastwood gave the Rocks the lead at 13:36, putting a shot over top of McDonald and added his second at 15:57 off an interception by Brandan Smith. Power forward Kurtis Green made it 8-5 at 16:53. A bit of a defensive lapse late in the frame allowed Burnaby to get back into the game as Trenton Matsuzaki scored a power play goal at 18:58 and Spgnuolo got his second of the game at 19:25 on a shot that Hagedorn got a piece of. That made it 8-7 for the home team heading for home.
The third period was all Shamrocks as they scored 6 unanswered goals and outshot the Lakers by a 19-10 margin to make it 57-37 overall in the game.
Brody Eastwood led the Shamrocks in scoring with the hat trick and 2 assists while Dane Schoor and Chris Wardle each had 5-point nights with 2 goals and 3 helpers. Devon Casey, after sitting out the game in Nanaimo Tuesday came up with a goal and 3 assists. Dane Sorensen and Max Fredrickson each scored once and had 2 assists while Dominek Pesek, who has been coming on strong lately had 2 goals and 1 helper. Kurtis Green and Chris Kasper had the other Victoria goals.
The result puts the Shamrocks into a second-place tie in league standings. The game was not as impressive as the score might seem to indicate and the Rocks will have to be a lot better as they go on the road Sunday to face the Coquitlam Adanacs for the third and final time of the regular season. That series is tied 1-1. The Shamrocks return to Bear Mountain Arena next Saturday, June 1 at 5:00 when the New Westminster Salmonbellies will be the visitors.
By Janice Huckin
May 22, 2013
Shamrocks Win in Nanaimo
After a somewhat sub-par performance at home Saturday, the Jr. Shamrocks hit the road to take on the Nanaimo Timbermen Tuesday at the Frank Crane Arena. With team captain Brody Eastwood back from school and leading the way, the Rocks hammered the T’Men 15-10.
Starting goaltenders were Cody Hagedorn for the Rocks and Pete Dubenski at the other end of the floor. Nanaimo got on the board first, Travis Mickelson getting in close to score at the 2-minute mark. Victoria tied things up at 6:55 on a tally by Conrad Chapman and at 16:02 Max Fredrickson finished off some great ball movement on the power play to give the Shamrocks they would not relinquish. The first period ended with the visitors holding a 2-1 lead although they were outshot 15-12 by the Timbermen. It was also a relatively penalty-free 20 minutes, which turned out not to be a predictor of what was to come.
The Shamrocks opened the middle frame with a couple of quick goals off the stick of Dane Sorensen. They were almost from the exact same spot on the floor, the first coming at 1:53 and the second at 2:40, hard shots from the dotted line across the crease. Nanaimo got one back at 6:56 on the power play, Mitch Parker finishing off a play with just 2 seconds left on a 2-man advantage. The boys in green picked up the pace, running off 4 straight goals between 11:42 and 13:38. First it was Intermediate ‘A’ Shamrocks call-up Cole Pickup getting in close to find twine. At 12:28 Brody Eastwood got his first counter of the season finishing off some great passing. That was followed by a bouncer from the center slot off the stick of Dominik Pesek at 13:03. Chris Wardle rounded things off at 13:38 with Nick Kapusty doing some great work along the boards to retain position and getting a pass to him with virtually nothing left on the 30-second clock. Nanaimo got one back at 14:03, Nick Sanderson doing the damage. It took only 41 seconds for Victoria’s Kurtis Green to power to the front of the net and score an unassisted goal. A power play goal at 19:51 from Nanaimo’s Brett Hawrys finished the scoring for the period as the Shamrocks took a 9-4 lead to the dressing room. The period also saw a lot of penalties, including a 5-minute major and game misconduct to Kurtis Green, along with coincidental minors to Parker and Max Cullen, all of that coming at the 20-minute mark.
That power play opportunity resulted in a couple of early Nanaimo goals, Paul Nicholson scoring from the corner of the crease at the 28-second mark and Parker following up with his second of the contest at 2:44, a bullet from the dotted line. That got the home team within 3 but Victoria started another run of 5 goals with a shorthanded marker at 3:37 from Eastwood when he found himself inexplicably all alone in front. Eastwood followed up with his hat-trick marker at 5:50 putting the ball over top of Dubenski. Victoria took advantage of the break in play to replace and rest Cody Hagedorn and give Charles Claxton some game time. At 8:26 Max Cullen scored unassisted when he intercepted a pass and went coast to coast. Jamie Sorensen added a shorthanded tally at 10:02 and at 11:10 Eastwood added another to give the Shamrocks an 8-goal lead. Nanaimo rebounded with three quick goals, Hawrys picking up his second of the game at 11:37, followed by Sanderson with his second, on the power play at 13:39 and Mickelson getting his second at 14:23. The teams traded goals to finish the game, Eastwood scoring for Victoria at 15:42 and Hawrys getting the hat trick at 18:03. Again, period 3 was a penalty-filled affair, culminating in a heavyweight battle between Nanaimo’s Owen Barker and Victoria’s Brandan Smith at 18:14. Pretty silly stuff actually which also saw Jordan Kuziek of the T’Men receive an extra 5 minutes.
Victoria was led offensively by their captain Brody Eastwood who arrived home from New York just in time to catch the bus up island as he scored 5 times and added 1 assist. Dane Sorensen picked up a pair of goal while brother Jamie had a goal and 2 helpers as did call-up Cole Pickup. Dominik Pesek and Max Fredrickson each had a goal and 3 assists with other goals coming from Conrad Chapman, Kurtis Green and Max Cullen. Goaltender Cody Hagedorn stopped 37 shots before giving way to Charles Claxton who stopped 11 shots and had an assist in relief.
Nanaimo got the hat trick from Brett Hawrys while Nick Sanderson and Mitch Parker each had a pair of goals, chipping in 5 and 3 assists respectively. Travis Mickelson also had 2 goals with the other coming from Paul Nicholson.
Next up for the Jr. Shamrocks is a home game Saturday, May 25 when the Burnaby Lakers will be in town.
By Janice Huckin
May 18, 2013
Rocks Flattened by Adanacs
The Jr. Rocks were hoping to take a 2-0 lead in their head-to-head match-up against the Coquitlam Adanacs Saturday but came out a little flat as they were dominated physically in going down to a 12-6 defeat.
Cody Hagedorn got his fifth consecutive start for the home team while Coquitlam went with big Davide DiRuscio between the pipes. The Rocks jumped out to a 1-0 lead at 7:36 when Dane Schoor broke in alone off transition to beat DiRuscio. Coquitlam replied at 8:17, again coming off transition as Jordan Gilles scored. Schoor got his second of the night, again using his outstanding speed out of the defensive zone to make it 2-1 Victoria. That was the last time the Shamrocks would hold the lead as the Adanacs scored three straight power play goals before period 1 ended. Spencer Stevens tied things at 13:21, a shot that Hagedorn seemed to get a piece of. At 19:30 Steven Neufeld scored with Coquitlam holding a 5-on-3 manpower advantage after a particularly questionable double minor call made the Rocks 2 men short. Evan Wortley added another power play marker with less than a second remaining on the clock to give the visitors a 4-2 lead, despite Victoria holding a slight 17-13 edge in shots on goal.
Coquitlam added to their lead with two early goals in period 2, the first coming off the stick of Erik Klein at the 3:54 mark and the second, another power play goal from Stevens at 6:02. Max Fredrickson got one back for the Shamrocks at 6:49 and drew back within a pair when Chris Wardle tallied at 10:37 after an extended period of Victoria ball possession. The teams traded goals as Chase McIntyre scored at 11:20 for the Adanacs on a hard shot from the dotted line and Jamie Sorensen replied for the Shamrocks just 11 seconds later on a 2-man break. At 15:15 another – yes yet another – power play goal for the Adanacs as McIntyre found the top corner and restored the 3-goal lead. Fredrickson picked up his second of the contest at 17:26 on a tricky little shot right in front to cut the lead to 2 but two goals within the last minute by the Adanacs pretty much put the game away. Stevens scored his hat-trick goal at 19:19 and it was on the power play while Neufeld added his second of the game at 19:48.
The visitors added two unanswered goals in the final 20 minutes to salt away the victory. With Coquitlam scoring 6 goals on the power play, it’s another sign that the Shamrocks MUST stay out of the penalty box. Sometimes easier said than done. There seemed to be times when passes were not connecting for the Victoria squad, they were certainly physically dominated by the bigger Coquitlam players.
Dane Schoor and Max Fredrickson each picked up 2 goals in a losing effort, with singles coming from Chris Wardle and Jamie Sorensen. Cody Hagedorn was not his usual stellar self and it was bound to happen sooner or later as he gave way to Derek Anderson for the last half of the final period.
Steven Neufeld and Spencer Stevens each had the hat trick for the Adanacs while Chase McIntyre had a 5-point night on 2 goals and 3 assists. Davide DiRuscio kicked out 40 of the 46 shots he faced for the victory.
The Jr. Shamrocks go on the road Tuesday to face the Nanaimo Timbermen in a 7:00 pm start at the Frank Crane Arena before returning home next Saturday for a 5:00 encounter against the Burnaby Lakers.
By Janice Huckin
May 12, 2013
Rocks Rebound, Hand Islanders First Loss
After suffering their first defeat of the season Saturday, the Jr. Shamrocks rebounded to hand the Delta Islanders their first loss of the season, hanging on for an 11-9 victory.
Cody Hagedorn got his fourth straight start in goal for the Rocks and it was Matt Keith guarding the crease at the Delta end of the floor. As he did last night, it was big Kurtis Green getting the Shamrocks on the board first, going to the front of the net and beating Keith at 1:51. Delta replied at 4:12 with a shorthanded goal by Eli McLaughlin, going 1-on-2 right to the front of the net. How’s that again? Yes, it was 1-on-2. The Islanders took the lead at 6:18, Jon Phillips finding twine. At 10:27 the Shamrocks got even on a diving shot by Chris Wardle and Max Fredrickson gave the home team the lead at 14:49 with a quick stick. That was how the opening period ended, with the Shamrocks holding a slim 3-2 lead; shots on goal were even at 16 apiece in a well-played, quick period.
Delta picked up the first two goals of the middle frame, the first coming at 3:02, another shorthanded tally, this one off the stick of Mike Henry. At 10:55 they took the lead, McLaughlin picking up his second of the game. The lead continued to see-saw back and forth as that Delta goal began a run of 7 collective goals in less than 6 minutes. The Shamrocks replied with a pair of their own, the first off the stick of Jake Cullen with a hard shot at 11:17. Just 17 seconds later it was Dane Sorensen restoring a 1-goal Victoria lead. Next it was Delta’s turn to score a pair, Tyler Nett connecting at 12:41 and Phillips picking up his second of the game at 13:28, off a loose ball. Momentum swung back to the Shamrocks with a pair of power play goals. Cullen rattled off his second, just inside the post at 15:41 and Dominik Pesek added another at 16:11. After 40 minutes, it was the home team still holding a 1-goal lead.
It looked like the Shamrocks would put a bit of distance between them as they opened period 3 with two goals to make it a 3-goal gap. Wardle picked up his second of the game, a shorthanded goal when he walked in alone at 4:21. Green then notched his second of the contest with an unassisted goal at 6:33, getting a breakaway and shooting from a ways beyond the dotted line. The Islanders would not be denied and they replied with a 3-goal run to get things even. Evan Messenger tallied at 8:06, firing back over his shoulder to the back of the net. The next goal didn’t come until 16:25 when Taylor Northway scored 5-hole unassisted and then added a second unassisted goal at 17:25. Fans would be forgiven for wondering if they would be seeing a second consecutive overtime game but Devon Casey beat Keith with a hard low shot at 17:49 and Wardle added his hat trick marker at 19:39 on the power play to provide the margin of victory.
Jake Cullen and Devon Casey each had 5-point nights in the victory scoring 2 goals and 3 assists and 1 goal and 4 assists respectively. Veteran Chris Wardle, with another strong two-way performance had a hat trick and 1 assist while Max Fredrickson also picked up 4 points on a goal and 3 helpers. Kurtis Green picked up a pair of goals with other goals coming from Dominik Pesek and Dane Sorensen. Jamie Sorensen chipped in 3 assists. A few players were playing different roles than those in which we usually see them. Dane Schoor saw a lot of time at the defensive end of the floor and, although he didn’t get onto the scoresheet, his speed was instrumental in kick-starting the transition game and providing opportunities to score. Cody Hagedorn picked up his third win of the season in goal, kicking out 38 of the 47 shots he faced.
For Delta it was Taylor Northway, Jon Phillips and Eli McLaughlin each picking up a pair of goals.
As mentioned, it was Delta’s first loss of the season but they remain atop the league standings with a 4-1 record. The win puts the Shamrocks in a second-place tie with the Langley Thunder at 3 wins and a loss.
Next action for the Shamrocks is a home game next Saturday, May 18 when the Coquitlam Adanacs will be in town for a 5:00 pm encounter. Come out early and watch the Intermediate ‘A’ Shamrocks take on Delta at 1:30 pm. It’s good entertainment and the Intermediate Shamrocks are currently undefeated and playing an exciting brand of lacrosse.
By Janice Huckin
May 11, 2013
Shamrocks Suffer First Loss
It took 70 minutes but in the end, it was Langley scoring three goals in overtime to hand the Jr. Shamrocks their first loss of the season by an 11-8 margin Saturday at Bear Mountain Arena.
Cody Hagedorn made his third straight start in nets for the home team while Spencer England got the nod between the pipes for Langley. The Rocks got out to a quick start, scoring twice before the 2-minute mark. Kurtis Green made his way right to the front of the net at 1:08 to get things started and just 45 seconds later it was Devon Casey doing the same thing and the Shamrocks were up 2-0. Langley answered around the midway mark of the period, James Rahe notching a power play goal at 10:38 and Sean Lundstrom tying things up with yet another power play marker at 14:52, by which time the visitors held a 17-7 edge in shots on goal. Victoria took the lead at 15:48, Max Fredrickson scoring from the corner of the crease with a delayed penalty about to be called on Langley. At 18:20 Jake Cullen made it 4-2 Shamrocks finishing off some great ball control and another power play goal at 19:05, Fredrickson’s second of the contest, made it 5-2 as the period came to an end. Shots on goal favoured Langley 21-12.
It took almost half a period before the first goal of the middle frame was scored, as Chris Wardle put the ball over top of England to open up a 3-goal lead for the home team. Langley replied with a 3-goal run, two on the power play and 1 shorthanded to close the gap to 1. Jake Cullen picked up his second at the 16:47 mark, giving the Shamrocks a 7-5 lead after 40 minutes.
Things went from bad to worse in period 3 as Langley outscored Victoria 3-1, again two of those markers coming with the man advantage. The Shamrocks’ only goal came courtesy of Jake Cullen, giving him the hat-trick. It was a penalty filled period but the Shamrocks were being out-worked, out-run by the speedy transition game being played by Langley.
In league play, a tie in regulation time means 10 minutes of overtime and Langley scored three goals, one on a power play and one into an empty net as that was the end of that.
The Shamrocks seemed to struggle with ball control after a somewhat dominant first period and they were also plagued with some lackluster defensive play. Offensively the Shamrocks were led by a couple of rookies as Jake Cullen had the hat trick and 2 assists while Max Fredrickson had a pair of goals and 2 helpers. Single goals came from Kurtis Green, Devon Casey and Chris Wardle. Mason Pynn in his first home game of the season chipped in 2 helpers while Dane Schoor had 3 assists. You couldn’t have asked more of Cody Hagedorn as he stopped 59 of the 69 shots he faced.
For Langley two players had 7-point nights with Adam Will picking up 3 goals and 4 assists while Brett Dobray had 2 goals and 5 helpers. Sean Lundstrom kicked in 4 goals and an assist.
There is no rest for the weary as the Shamrocks play a rare doubleheader at home, facing the Delta Islanders Sunday at Bear Mountain Arena. Game time is 5:00 p.m.
By Janice Huckin
May 6, 2013
Shamrocks Family Mourns Loss of Scott Stone
The Shamrocks family is mourning the sudden recent passing of Scott Stone. Scott played two years for the Intermediate ‘A’ Shamrocks before joining the Jr. Shamrocks for 3 years from 2007 to 2009. During his Jr. ‘A’ career he suited up for 80 regular season and playoff games, scoring 29 goals and 76 assists for 105 points. He was an explosive player on the floor and a positive force in the dressing room. His best season statistically was in 2009 when he put 42 points on the board but more to his credit he was part of the 2008 team that captured the silver medal in Calgary at the Minto Cup. Scott was drafted to the WLA by the Nanaimo Timbermen where he played one season. He was a great teammate, a really good guy and, at only 24 years old, taken far too soon. A moment of silence was observed at Sunday’s Intermediate ‘A’ Shamrocks game in Scott’s honour and our condolences go out to his family and friends on this sad occasion
April 28, 2013
Shamrocks Open 2 for 2
It was a good opening weekend for the Jr. Shamrocks as they travelled to the mainland Sunday to face last year’s champs, the Coquitlam Adanacs, and came away with an 8-6 win.
Both teams were playing their second game in 2 days but Coquitlam had the advantage of playing both at home. Cody Hagedorn got his second start in goal for the Rocks while big Davide DiRuscio was between the pipes for the home Adanacs. As they did against New Westminster Saturday, the Shamrocks got on the board early. Devon Casey came in off the opening faceoff and fired one to the back of the net just 14 seconds in. The Shamrocks made it 2-0 at the 42-second mark when Chris Wardle intercepted a pass and went in alone. It was 2 shots, 2 goals for the visitors. The Adanacs finally replied at 8:02 when Spencer Stevens scored on a power play. Stevens got things even at 2 apiece picking off an errant Victoria pass and scoring unassisted at 10:51. A shorthanded goal by Victoria’s Conrad Chapman restored the lead. This goal also came off an intercepted pass. That was how the period ended, with the Shamrocks holding a slim 3-2 lead despite being outshot 19-14 in the period.
Period 2 started with the Adanacs in the midst of a 4-minute power play but the Victoria penalty kill team did a great job to hold them off the board. The home team did manage to tie things up at 4:19, Taylor Raiche scoring off a rebound. It was all Shamrocks after that as the boys in green ran off 3 unanswered goals. Dane Schoor picked up a power play marker finishing off a slick passing play at 6:36. They then struck for 2 quick goals as Wardle picked up his second of the game at 15:50 off a quick pass from Kurtis Green at 15:50. At 16:58 it was Nick Kapusty capitalizing after Wardle made a diving play to push the ball into the offensive zone. The Shamrocks were full value for the 6-3 lead after 40 minutes and they also held the edge in shots on goal 17-12 in the period.
Czech import Dominik Pesek, made it a 4-goal lead for Victoria when he scored 1:37 into the final frame, diving across the front of the crease to bury the ball. Steven Neufeld got one back for the A’s at 7:12 after Hagedorn made the save but the ball trickled by him. Wardle picked up his hat trick marker for the visitors at 9:17 to make it an 8-4 lead. Coquitlam threatened to come back, scoring the next two goals, off the sticks of Joe Olson at 12:46 and Robyn Lowenberger at 13:48 but that was as close as they would come, despite pulling the goaltender for the extra attacker.
It was a pretty strong performance at both ends of the floor for the Shamrocks. Acting team captain Chris Wardle led the team in scoring with the hat-trick and 2 assists. Dominik Pesek chipped in a goal and 2 helpers while Conrad Chapman, Devon Casey, Dane Schoor and Nick Kapusty added the other goals. Jake Cullen contributed 3 assists and Cody Hagedorn kicked out 42 of the 48 shots he faced to pick up his second victory.
The Jr. Shamrocks’ next action comes in two weeks when they will enjoy a rare home doubleheader. The Langley Thunder come to Bear Mountain on Saturday, May 11 and the Delta Islanders visit on Sunday, May 12. Both games are at 5:00 p.m.
- by Janice Huckin
April 27, 2013
Rocks Hang on for Victory
It looked early like it might be a runaway for the Jr. Shamrocks in their home opener Sasturday but in the end they had to hang on to take an 11-10 victory over the visiting New Westminster Salmonbellies at Bear Mountain Arena.
Cody Hagedorn got the start in goal for Victoria while Michael Flintoff was his counterpart at the other end of the floor. The Rocks got things started with a power play goal at the 5:50 mark of the opening period – a bullet from Devon Casey. Two minutes later it was a picture perfect outlet pass from Hagedorn to a streaking Kurtis Green, who made no mistake. At 9:11 another power play goal, this time from Jake Cullen, had the home team up by 3. Chris Wardle made it a 4-goal difference at 9:43 when he knocked down a pass by the New West goalie who then gave chase giving Wardle an empty net to shoot at. The visitors got one back with an unassisted tally off the stick of Quinn Smith at 10:28. It took only 10 seconds for Victoria to get that one back, Derek Lecky firing a howitzer to the back of the net. The teams traded goals once more before the period ended, Nathan Stewart scoring on a New West power play at 13:38 and Max Fredrickson picking up his first of the season at 15:40, cutting by a host of players to get to the front of the net. Shots on goal were pretty even with the Salmonbellies holding a 24-22 lead in the category but it was the home team with a 6-2 lead on the scoreboard.
Just 43 seconds into period 2, the Salmonbellies connected on a power play as Daniel Perreault found the back of the net with a hard bouncer. The Rocks responded with a 3-goal run, the first from Cullen, his second of the night, on the power play at 4:24. Casey picked up his second of the game at 12:43 with a hard low shot and that was the end of the night for Salmonbellies goalie Flintoff as he was replaced by Tyler Landry. Fredrickson notched his second of the game just one minute later and New West rounded out the second period scoring with another power play goal at 19:15 as his team held a 2-man advantage. That made it 9-4 for the Shamrocks after 40 minutes but it was again the Bellies outshooting their hosts by a 17-11 margin.
Things got a little crazy in the final period; perhaps the home team thought they had it in the bag but New Westminster certainly had other ideas as they ran off 4 straight goals to start the period. At the 11:38 mark, they had closed the gap to a single goal before Victoria finally struck back at 11:58 when Cole Pickup, a call-up from the Intermediate ‘A’ team, found twine to restore a 2-goal lead. But two more straight goals from the visitors tied things up by 16:15 and things looked desperate for the home team. Fredrickson managed to squeeze a goal just inside the post at 16:32 and Hagedorn shut the door with the Bellies pressing in the final seconds to preserve the 1-goal victory.
Rookie Max Fredrickson led the Shamrocks with the hat-trick and 2 helpers while Chris Wardle had a 6-point night on a goal and 5 assists. Jake Cullen and Devon Casey each scored twice with other goals coming from Cole Pickup, Derek Lecky and Kurtis Green. Dominik Pesek and Dane Schoor each chipped in a pair of assists and Cody Hagedorn was at times spectacular as he faced 57 shots, turning aside 47 of them.
The Shamrocks are on the road Sunday to face the Coquitlam Adanacs. They don’t return to Bear Mountain until the weekend of May 11-12 with a rare home doubleheader.
- by Janice Huckin
April 22, 2013
2013 Season Begins Saturday
The Jr. Shamrocks begin their 2013 season at home Saturday, April 27 when the New Westminster Salmonbellies come to town. It was the ‘Bellies that eliminated the Rocks from the playoffs last season so it will be an opportunity for the home team to get some redemption.
The Shamrocks were very good in two pre-season games as they defeated the Nanaimo Sr. B Timbermen 12-5, then took an 11-7 victory over the Jr. A Timbermen April 17 in a game played at Fuller Lake Arena.
GM Rod Wood and his coaching staff all feel that this year’s Shamrocks squad has a solid chance to get to and win a Minto Cup. The last Victoria team to win that coveted trophy did so in 1988 so it is well overdue. This year’s head coach, Nirmal Dillon, coached that team so here’s hoping history repeats itself.
This year the team is about half returnees, half new players, many from last year’s silver medal winning Intermediate ‘A’ Shamrocks team. As with most teams in the B.C. Jr. A Lacrosse League, there will be a few regulars missing as the season begins due to scholastic commitments. Team captain Brody Eastwood, as well as Jesse King and Jordan Cunningham will not be available for the home opener.
There is a lot of excitement building around the team and indeed around the league this season. The league has committed to webcasting all games, which means you can follow the team at home and on the road. Former Shamrock and Jr. Rock alumnus Ted Jenner will be doing the play-by-play for Victoria home games. Cost per game (live) will be $7 and for an archived version $5. There will be a link on the league website to purchase webcasts so get your credit card ready.
New Westminster is one of the teams which will probably be undergoing a lot of changes in personnel this season so the Shamrocks are hoping to make them their first victim. The action begins at 5:00 pm at Bear Mountain Arena – come out and support your Victoria Jr. Shamrocks.
- by Janice Huckin
April 13, 2013
Jr. Rocks Off to a Good Start
It was a pre-season game but a pretty good start for the Jr. Shamrocks Saturday as they took on and defeated the Nanaimo Sr. B Timbermen by a 12-5 score at Bear Mountain Arena.
The Rocks jumped out to a 3-1 first period lead with the game looking like it was going to be a low-scoring affair as all 3 Victoria goals were scored by newcomer Max Fredrickson, starting at 1:32 on a shot that went into the net off of Nanaimo goaltender Walters. A little over 7 minutes later he found twine again getting in close to bury one. Nanaimo responded with a counter from G. Sutherland at 16:59 but Fredrickson’s hat trick marker restored the 2-goal lead at 17:17, rattling one off the inside of the post. Returnee Cody Hagedorn was solid in goal for his 20 minutes, although his counterpart at the other end of the floor was much busier facing 20 shots.
Special teams played a part in the middle frame as the Shamrocks rattled off the first 3 goals of the period, two of them on a power play. The first goal came off the stick of Jake Cullen just 38 seconds in. He notched his second of the match at 9:03 on the power play and Dane Schoor made it 6-3 at the 10:57 mark also with the man advantage. Nanaimo bounced back with 3 straight power play goals, before Victoria’s Chris Wardle scored a nifty shorthanded marker with just 6 seconds left on the clock. Charles Claxton played the second period in goal for the Shamrocks, making 7 saves.
Nanaimo started period 3 with a power play goal just 31 seconds in, beating Derek Anderson who took over between the pipes for the Shamrocks. That was the only goal they would put behind the stopper while Victoria rattled off 5 more goals to get the victory. First up it was Wardle picking up his second shorthanded goal at 2:33, diving across the front of the net. That was followed by a pair by Devon Casey at 6:07 and 9:40. Newcomer Derek Leckie tallied at 15:03 and Russel Kirk rounded out the scoring with a power play goal at the 16:30 mark.
Leading the way for the Shamrocks was former Intermediate ‘A’ captain, Max Fredrickson with 3 goals and a pair of assists. Dane Schoor also chipped in 5 points on a goal and 4 helpers. Devon Casey, Chris Wardle and Jake Cullen each contributed a pair of goals while Wardle added 2 assists and Casey 1. Singles came from Russel Kirk and Derek Lecky. Power forward Dominik Pesek from the Czech Republic had a strong game on loose balls and chipped in 3 assists and Jamie Sorensen had a pair of assists. Asked for his assessment of the game, GM Rod Wood was pretty positive, stating that a “little rust has to be shaken off” but overall was pleased with the performance of the team, including all 3 goaltenders.
The Jr. Rocks have one more pre-season game and that will be played against the Nanaimo Jr. ‘A’ Timbermen at Fuller Lake Arena this Wednesday, April 17 beginning at 7:00. It’s always a fierce rivalry when these two teams get together, regardless of when the game takes place. The regular season gets under way at home on Saturday, April 27 when the New Westminster Salmonbellies, who ousted the Rocks from playoffs last season will be in town for a 5:00 pm game.
- Janice Huckin
April 8, 2013
Shamrocks Ready for 2013
The Jr. Shamrocks have almost finalized their roster for the upcoming season. There was a great turnout at the rookie camp, including a number of promising graduates from the 2012 Intermediate Shamrocks team.
The team sees approximately 14 players returning from last year’s squad including their second and third highest scoring players, Brody Eastwood and Devon Casey. Eastwood has been named captain but will miss a couple of games at the beginning of the season due to school commitments. Jesse King and Kurtis Green will wear the ‘A’ on their jerseys.
Also expected to return are Jamie Sorensen, Dane Schoor, Chris Wardle, Tom Arsenault and goaltender Cody Hagedorn. The team has decided to sign three goaltenders for the season so as to avoid the use of call-ups, qualifying for playoffs, etc. Hagedorn will be joined this season by Derek Anderson, a 21 year-old out of the Cowichan Valley. Anderson has long held the dream of wearing the clover on his jersey and will now achieve that goal. Also joining the Shamrocks is Charles Claxton – the name may be familiar to some local fans as Claxton, out of Peninsula played one season with the Intermediate ‘A’ Shamrocks before playing last season for the Delta Intermediate ‘A’ Islanders. GM Rod Wood says all 3 goaltenders are good ball-handlers, something goalie coach Larry Smeltzer hopes to exploit in kick-starting the offense.
Out of the Intermediate ‘A’ Shamrocks the Jr. Rocks have signed Derek Lecky, Jake Cullen and Max Cullen as well as last year’s Intermediate captain Max Fredrickson. A couple of newcomers hoping to make an impact are Nick Kapusty and Dominik Pesek. Kapusty is a hard-nosed forward who, at age 19 has played 3 seasons of Jr. ‘B’ lacrosse in Penticton. Pesek hails from the Czech Republic and has shown strong skills throughout training camp.
There are a few players not yet signed who are away at school and Rod admits that they are still looking at a couple of high-end import players.
It should be a very exciting season which kicks off with a couple of exhibition games. The first will be a match-up at Bear Mountain this Saturday, April 13 against the Sr. B Nanaimo Timbermen. Game time is 3:30 pm. The Jr. Rocks will then play a second pre-season game against the Jr. A Timbermen at Fuller Lake arena on Wednesday, April 17th. That game starts at 7:00 pm.
Regular home season begins at Bear Mountain Arena on Saturday, April 27 at 5:00 against the New Westminster Salmonbelliles.
- Janice Huckin
February 8, 2013
WLA Shamrocks Draft 5 Jr. Rocks
Monday, February 4 the Langley Events Center was the scene of the annual WLA draft of graduating junior players. Several of last year’s Jr. Shamrocks were taken by the WLA Shamrocks while a couple of other teams also dipped into the ranks of last season’s local graduates.
The Shamrocks didn’t have a selection until the 6th pick of round 3 and Rocks GM used that pick to grab last year’s Jr. Rocks team captain Jake Emms. Round 4 saw the Rocks with two picks, the first of the round which they used to select Kyle Dexter, a local player from the Peninsula minor association who spent a couple of seasons with Nanaimo before moving to Calgary to play with the Okotoks Raiders. Also in round 4, the Shamrocks took last season’s team scoring leader, Adam Brown. Oliver Phillips, Josh Fagan and Jason Gregg were selected by the Shamrocks in ensuing rounds.
Shea Wakefield was drafted by Maple Ridge in the 6th round while Braden Kmita was snapped up by Nanaimo. Paul Brebber and Glenn Foley who finished the season in green and white but are Nanaimo products were also selected by the Nanaimo Timbermen.
Incidentally, the first overall pick of this year’s draft belonged to the Maple Ridge Burrards and they chose Ben McIntosh from the Coquitlam Jr. Adanacs. New Westminster held the next two picks which they used to grab Logan Schuss and Jeff Cornwall from Delta and Coquitlam respectively.
Congratulations to all the drafted players and good luck with your respective WLA teams. Hopefully we’ll see you in the future on the floor at Bear Mountain Arena.
January 29, 2013
Jr. Rocks Reap Bounty of Saanich Players
The B.C. Jr. A Lacrosse League held its annual draft of midget-aged graduating players Sunday in Port Coquitlam after a couple of seasons on hiatus. It took a couple of years to re-establish rules around the draft but it finally came to fruition.
The Jr. Shamrocks stayed close to home, drafting 4 promising players from the Saanich organization and another hopeful from Comox.
Team GM Rod Wood had his eyes on a couple of players and was able to grab one of those with the 6th pick overall when he chose Nic Preston from Saanich. Preston is thought by many to be the best pick on the Island. Also from Saanich, Zac Christianson was chosen in the second round. Christianson is considered one of the top defenders on the island and is mobile and athletic. Wood did some wheeling and dealing throughout the draft to obtain additional draft picks in 2014 so his next pick came in Round 4 when he took Daniel Smith. You guessed it, Smith comes out of Saanich and is a tenacious two-way player. Round 5 got the Shamrocks Liam Reid from Comox, a goaltender who showed very well in the recently-conducted midget camp. Wood closed out the draft with another good all-round player who will fit in where needed, that being Devon Wicks from Saanich.
As most fans are aware, the drafted players are a couple of years away from junior age but the presiding thought is that they will hone their skills in the intermediate league until such time as they are required and able to fit in. Congratulations to all the draftees.
The Jr. Shamrocks are also able to announce there will be at least one exhibition game before the start of the season. A game is being organized which will see the Nanaimo Jr. Timbermen and the Jr. Shamrocks oppose each other at the Fuller Lake Arena on Wednesday, April 17. More details will be posted as they become available.
January 15, 2013
Queens Diamond Jubilee Awards
The Jr Shamrocks are proud to announce their very own, Ron McQuarrie was one of 55 members of the Canadian Lacrosse community to receive the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal. See an excerpt from the official press release below.
"Today, the Canadian Lacrosse Association (CLA) is pleased to announce that fifty-five (55) members of the lacrosse community have joined a very exclusive club amongst Commonwealth countries as they are recipients of a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal. This commemorative medal is a tangible and lasting way to pay tribute to those Canadians whose achievements have benefited their fellow citizens, their community, their organization and the country. It provides an opportunity to look back and recognize those who have made lacrosse what it is today.
These fifty-five individuals represent the backbone of Canadian lacrosse; they are the volunteers, the builders of our sport, administrators, coaches, and players. They give tirelessly to the sport they are so passionate about and as such the CLA is thrilled to have the opportunity to honour each of them".
Our congratulations and thank you to Ron McQuarrie for all his years of service to the game of lacrosse.
Here is a link to the entire article.
http://www.ilindoor.com/2012/12/18/55-canadian-lacrosse-legends-receive-queens-diamond-jubilee-medal/
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