WLA Championship Series Preview: Shamrocks and Adanacs Set for Battle

The stage is set.

The Victoria Shamrocks and Coquitlam Adanacs will meet in the 2026 WLA Championship Series, with the best-of-seven battle beginning Saturday night at the Q Centre.

Four wins separate one of these teams from a trip to the Mann Cup.

Victoria enters the series after a dominant regular season that saw the Shamrocks finish first overall with a 16-2 record, earning home-floor advantage throughout the WLA playoffs. Coquitlam finished third overall at 12-6 before earning its way into the Championship Series after a 5 game battle with Maple Ridge.

The Shamrocks also swept the three-game regular-season series between the clubs.

Victoria opened the 2026 season with a 9-4 victory over Coquitlam on May 22 in front of a sold-out crowd at the Q Centre. The Shamrocks followed that with an 11-8 road victory on June 13 before completing the season sweep with a 12-8 win at the Q Centre on July 17.

But the WLA Finals are a new series, and the numbers suggest these two teams are built for playoff lacrosse.

Strength at Both Ends of the Floor

Victoria finished the regular season with a rare combination: the most goals scored and the fewest goals allowed in the WLA.

Coquitlam wasn't far behind defensively, finishing second in the league in goals against.

That sets up a Championship Series featuring two clubs capable of making life extremely difficult at the defensive end of the floor—and two of the best goaltenders in the game behind them.

Shamrocks goaltender Chris Origlieri, recently named the WLA's Outstanding Goaltender for the 2026 season, and Coquitlam's Christian Del Bianco finished first and second in the league in both goals-against average and save percentage.

With Origlieri at one end and Del Bianco at the other, goals may be at a premium throughout the series.

Victoria's Offence Provides Another Dimension

Where the Shamrocks may have an advantage is their ability to generate offence while maintaining their defensive structure.

Victoria led the WLA in scoring during the regular season, powered by another tremendous year from Zach Manns, who finished with 90 points, and captain Marshal King, who recorded 76 points.

Coquitlam has plenty of offensive firepower of its own, and one player in particular enters the Finals on a roll.

Adam Noakes currently leads all WLA players with 17 points in the playoffs, giving the Shamrocks another dangerous offensive threat to contain.

Special Teams Could Be a Difference Maker

One of the biggest statistical advantages for Victoria entering the series comes on the power play.

The Shamrocks finished the regular season with the WLA's top power play at 42.7%, while Coquitlam ranked sixth at 25.7%.

The Adanacs' power play has been more effective in the postseason, however, converting at approximately 32% during the playoffs.

In what could be a tight, low-scoring series, discipline and special teams could prove decisive. Giving Victoria's power play repeated opportunities is a dangerous proposition, while the Shamrocks will need to respect a Coquitlam unit that has shown improvement in the postseason.

Four Wins Away

Victoria's 3-0 regular-season record against Coquitlam gives the Shamrocks confidence entering the Championship Series, but everything resets when the WLA Finals begin.

Both clubs defend exceptionally well. Both have elite goaltending. Both have game-breaking offensive players.

And both know exactly what's waiting at the end.

Four wins. One WLA Championship. One ticket to the Mann Cup.

The series begins Saturday, August 15 at 6:30 PM at the Q Centre, with the Shamrocks holding home-floor advantage in the best-of-seven series.

Tickets for Game 1 and Game 3 at the Q Centre are on sale now.

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