Shamrocks ready to shift into playoff mode

GAME DAY: VICTORIA AT NEW WESTMINSTER, 7:30 P.M.

About the only thing that’s certain about the 2017 Western Lacrosse Association playoffs is that the Victoria Shamrocks, Maple Ridge Burrards, New Westminster Salmonbellies and Burnaby Lakers will be playing in them and Nanaimo, Coquitlam and Langley will not.

Beyond that, it’s about as clear as looking through sunglasses smeared with Jell-O and mud, with only three points separating the first-four teams.

With two regular-season games remaining — tonight in New Westminster and Friday against Burnaby in The Q Centre — Victoria can finish anywhere from first to fourth.

“These last two games will be a great playoff primer,” said Shamrocks head coach Bob Heyes.

The math is fairly straight forward for the Shamrocks. Well, sort of. Win out and Victoria captures the WLA regular-season crown for the fifth consecutive year. Lose out and the Shamrocks will likely place fourth. But if Victoria splits its remaining two games, then any number of scenarios can play out.

“In the past, we’ve had things wrapped up by now,” said Heyes.

“This year, we didn’t make it easy on ourselves. But we are looking to finish strong. We control our own destiny.”

The latter is the point Heyes will be hammering home to his players.

The Burrards lead the standings at 11-6 for 22 points but have only one game remaining in their quest for their first regular-season WLA title in the 22 years the franchise has been located in Maple Ridge. Victoria is 10-5-1 with 21 points and also has a game in hand on New Westminster (10-6-1 for 21 points), but the Salmonbellies have won four straight games and are looking to close out as the hottest team in the WLA.

The most unpredictable element in the playoff pack is Burnaby, which is 9-5-1 for 19 points, but with three games remaining. The Lakers can win their first WLA regular-season crown in franchise history by winning out its final three games.

Meanwhile, the WLA announced the first-round playoff dates. The two best-of-seven firstround series will begin Aug. 3 with the fourth seed visiting the top seed and the third seed at the second seed. The venues will alternate with the remaining first four-game dates Aug. 5, Aug. 7 and Aug. 9. All first-round games will begin at 6 p.m.