’Rocks catch their breath before Nanaimo clash
After surrendering 12 goals and 69 shots on Friday, there is little doubt the Victoria Shamrocks would like to clamp it down tonight as they head to Nanaimo to face the Timbermen at Frank Crane Arena.
The 12-12 overtime tie at home against the New Westminster Salmonbellies on Friday was essentially three different games rolled into one as the Shamrocks opened strong, fizzled badly in the middle, only to come back from an 11-7 deficit to force overtime.
Costly turnovers, a lack of securing loose balls and the loss of a pair of key defenders — Steve Priolo and Ben McCullough — in fights placed the now 5-1-1 Shamrocks behind the 8-ball after they had built a 4-1 lead.
The Shamrocks then allowed 10 of the next 13 goals, scored over 29 minutes. Causes for concern? Certainly. Time to adjust? Definitely. But it was also a quality comeback, with four goals in the final 11:41.
“It was a good character builder, with had a couple of guys thrown out due to fights,” Shamrocks head coach Bob Heyes said of the rollercoaster game. “We came out of the first period up by a goal, but really didn’t have a lot of flow up front.
“They shoot till they get hot, so there were a lot of shots and it was a tough one for Boldly [goaltender Aaron Bold] getting that many shots in his first game back. It’s all part of us realizing what kind of weapons they have and adjust next time we play them.”
But, for now, they look ahead to an Island clash against the Timbermen.
“Nanaimo beat Maple Ridge [on Friday] so we’re going to go in there and see what they’ve got. We’ll adjust our roster a little bit. I’m sure there’s a few banged up bodies with a short turnaround,” said Heyes, who had to be scratching his head at times on Friday.
It was a sloppy affair for long stretches.
“I thought we were maybe making passes that we shouldn’t, maybe forcing balls,” said Tyler Hass, who, like fellow 32-year-old Bold, made his 2017 debut and forced overtime with a breakaway goal with 2:37 to go in the third. “We didn’t keep the game simple today.
“I felt like every time we made a mistake it turned critical. When we kept it simple and made the short passes, I think we played pretty well. I thought our third period was awesome. [There were just] too many little mistakes that are fixable.” It was successful return for Hass, who did not play last season due to injuries.
“I felt the best that I felt in a long time, years,” he said afterward.
“But it’s just one game and the test will be two and three. I think I’m happy with where I am at right now.”
The goal was typical Hass, galloping in transition and throwing several dekes before burying the ball on the breakaway.
“That felt great, honestly. I was pretty tired and I was thinking the guy was going to catch me from behind, but it worked out good. I think it was just a reaction,” he said of his patented pump-fake move in alone. “I don’t even remember doing it.”
He was especially pleased to be back at The Q Centre.
“It feels good to be out front of the fans, especially the fans I’ve seen for years and years. It felt great.” Heyes said of Hass: “He got a huge goal, which is great. It was like the old Tyler Hass. It looked like he didn’t know what to do [on the breakaway] so he went back to what he always does, which is great. It was nice to see him back.”
CLOVER POINTS: The Shamrocks were without Rhys Duch, whose father Mike Duch, a former Shamrock, died last week. … Corey small led Victoria offensively with two goals and four assists Friday, just ahead of Casey Jackson’s two goals and three helpers. Josh Fagan scored two of the team’s six power-play goals on the night. … The Timbermen (3-3) are coming off an impressive 10-7 win over the defending champion Maple Ridge Burrards (also 3-3) on Friday.