Shamrocks Fall to Salmonbellies

2010-05-22

The low-scoring affair was largely due to the play of Matt Roik in the New West net, who stopped 40 of 44 shots he faced while Nick Patterson started the evening in goal for the Rocks but gave way to rookie Neil Tyacke, a product of the Jr. Salmonbellies, partway through period 2.

The Shamrocks were penalized early and often in the contest and the first Victoria penalty led to the Bellies first power play goal, when Jamie Floris got in close and finished off a great passing play to put the visitors up 1-0.  There was a fairly long lull between the next goal, prompting one nearby fan to say it looked like the Shamrocks were asleep.  It was getting perilously close to putting the fans to sleep.  In any event an unassisted goal by Martin Cummings put New West up 2-0 at 17:47, again making it in close to beat Patterson.  The Shamrocks hit the board at 18:30, Jeff Shattler finding twine with a hard low shot.  Before the period ended, Floris notched his second, at 19:14 with a shot that may have been screened.  The shots on goal favoured New Westminster by a slim 16-13 margin but more importantly they had the 3-1 lead on the scoreboard.

The visitors opened the scoring in the middle frame with Corbyn Tao firing a hard, low shot to the back of the net at 1:07.  A little less than 3 minutes later Dean Hill with a quick-stick beat Roik to pull the home team within a pair.  That situation was short-lived as another power play goal from Cummings at 5:19, his second of the contest, restored the 3-goal lead.  That was the goal that prompted Victoria coach Walt Christianson to give his rookie stopper, Tyacke a look.  At 7:16 Hill bagged his second goal but the Shamrocks were unable to muster any momentum and the Bellies scored two more in the period, Curtis Manning faking Tyacke and beating him at 11:11 and Sean Robinson with a power play marker at 12:41 scoring on a hard shot from the slot.  After 40 minutes the score was 7-3 in favour of the visitors while shots on goal were even in the period.

Victoria put on a concerted attack in the third period but Roik stood tall in net as he turned back wave after wave of shots, 22 in all by the Shamrocks.  The Rocks did manage to beat him once as sniper Rhys Duch, newly returned from winning a Champions Cup with his NLL Washington Stealth, solved him at 16:57.  Shayne Bennett replied for the Bellies at 17:32 into an empty net as the Rocks had their goaltender out for an extra attacker. 

The Victoria snipers came up light on the night as only Dean Hill managed to beat Roik more than once, finishing with a pair of goals and 1 assist.  Rhys Duch and Jeff Shattler had the other Shamrock markers while Dylan Llord chipped in with 2 assists.

New Westminster got a pair of goals from Jamie Floris and Martin Cummings while singles came from Shayne Bennett, Curtis Manning, Sean Robinson and Corbyn Tao.  The visitors swept the 3 stars with Roik-Cummings-Floris ranked 1-2-3.

In other Friday action the Coquitlam Adanacs beat the Burnaby Lakers 15-8.

Next action for the Shamrocks is next Friday, May 28 at Bear Mountain when the Burnaby Lakers will be in town.  Prior to the game join the Shamrocks, Jr. Shamrocks and Intermediate ‘A' Shamrocks for a tailgate party in the parking lot.  Starting at 6:00 pm, you can grab a hot dog, some refreshment, and talk lax with the players, executive and other fans of the 3 teams.  Then stick around for the game which starts at 7:45 pm.