Rocks Get Adanac Monkey Off Back

2010-07-10

Curt Morwick put the Shamrocks ahead at 2:20 gettting in close to beat Coquitlam starting netminder, Nick Rose.  Kevin Dostie capped some great ball movement and positioning with the Rocks' second goal at 5:26 and just 25 seconds later, Kory Kowalyk cut to the front of the net and it was 3-0 green.  The Adanacs finally solved Victoria goalie Nick Patterson at 8:06 as Daryl Veltman connected on a power play.  Five more Shamrock goals found the back of the net before the period ended.  Ryan Benesch replied immediately to the Adanac goal, hiding one just inside the post at 8:53.  A little less than 3 minutes later Benesch counted his second on a power play.  Mike Pires connected at 13:40.  Dean Hill followed up with a hard shot from the slot that beat Rose at 18:17 and Benesch got his hat trick marker at 19:45 when Rose couldn't hang on to the ball and it went over him into the back of the net.  The Rocks outshot the Adanacs 24-16 and looked like a team that was in control.  Looks can be deceiving as we later learned.

The second period was tamer as far as goals go, although the Shamrocks continued to put the pressure on and fired 23 shots at Brandon Atherton who came in to begin the period in the Adanacs net.  Paul Dawson romped down the floor to connect first for the Rocks at the 1-minute mark.  Jason Wulder replied for the Adanacs with an unassisted marker at 6:22, shooting through traffic.  Hill got his second for the Rocks at 9:03 and Dostie collected his second at 17:04, with just 2 seconds left on the shot clock.  After 40 minutes it looked like a done deal with the Shamrocks leading 11-2.

As I said, looks can be deceiving and the third period begs 2 questions be asked.  Where did the Shamrocks go?  And where were the Adanacs in periods 1 and 2?  The third period was all Adanacs as the Cory Conway show began.  The former Jr. Shamrock figured in 6 of the 8 Coquitlam goals as Victoria's defense and goaltending seemed to have dissipated in the heat.  Dane Dobbie scored quickly, beating Patterson just 21 seconds in.  Before any more scoring, the heavyweight battle of the evening took place - you knew it would, it was just a matter of when.  Kyle Morwick took on Keegan Davidson.  Morwick isn't big but he is compact and muscular and schooled Davidson, almost putting him on his knees with a couple of early shots.  Davidson didn't go down but it was Morwick with the unanimous decision.  At 2:41 Matt Lyons finished off some nice ball movement putting the ball in the back of the net.  Cory Conway started a 5-goal run when he put a bullet behind Patterson at 3:05 and picked up another unassisted tally at 3:38, going in front and firing back across.  Wulder got his second of the contest at 4:42 with the goalie out for an extra attacker and Jason Jones found the back of the net at 5:13 making it 4 goals in 2 minutes and 8 seconds for the visitors.  Dane Dobbie got in on the action at 11:51 to get the Adanacs within 4 and that signaled the end of Patterson's night as he was replaced by Matt Flindell.  Chet Koneczny fired the ball into an empty net at 12:57 as the Adanacs were pulling the goaltender for an extra attacker at every opportunity.  This time it backfired.  A late 2-man power play yielded two 2 goals for the visitors as Jones connected at 18:25 and Conway got his hat trick at 19:53 to round out the scoring.  Coquitlam outshot the Shamrocks 25-14 in the final period.

Again, it was a win but another case of the Shamrocks not being able to put a full 60-minute effort on the floor.  Jeff Shattler was named the game's first star on the strength of a 6-assist performance.  Ryan Benesch received second star honours as he scored 3 times and added 1 assist.  Kevin Dostie and Dean Hill each kicked in with a pair of goals and 2 helpers, with Mike Pires, Chet Koneczny, Kory Kowalyk, Cut Morwick, Paul Dawson and Matt Lyons scoring singles and Lyons adding 3 assists.

For the Adanacs it was Cory Conway, the game's third star, leading the way with 3 goals and 4 helpers.  Jason Wulder, Jason Jones and Dane Dobbie each scored twice with Daryl Veltman getting the other and chipping in 3 assists.

The Shamrocks are on the road for 3 games before finishing the regular season at home on July 30.  First up for the travelers is a weekend doubleheader next weekend against Langley and Maple Ridge.  The July 30 home game will be the final tailgate party of the season and there will be a big crowd because the visitors will be the Nanaimo Timbermen.  Game time is 7:45 pm.

-by Janice Huckin