With Maple Ridge star away, ’Rocks should pick up play

With good news in short supply for the Victoria Shamrocks this week, they got some when they most need it.

Lacrosse superstar Curtis Dickson, representing Canada at the world field-lacrosse championships in Israel, will be missing from the Maple Ridge Burrards lineup tonight at the Q Centre.

The third-place Shamrocks (9-5) come into the key Western Lacrosse Association contest against the second-place Burrards (9-6-1) after dropping a 9-7 shocker to the Thunder on Wednesday night at the Langley Events Centre. The Thunder (6-9-1) have already been eliminated from playoff contention.

“That’s what happens sometimes when you meet a team that is only playing for pride,” said Shamrocks head coach Bob Heyes.

It follows a season pattern in which the Shamrocks seem to get jacked for the big games yet get taken by surprise by the teams of lower standing, especially on the road.

“We didn’t come out with intensity in the first period Wednesday,” said Heyes.

“The longer you let a team that is playing for pride stay in the game, the greater the chance for an upset. We’re just going to have to park that result and learn from it.”

Rob Hellyer and Casey Jackson each had two goals and three assists in a losing cause on Wednesday night.

The upset likely cost the Shamrocks a chance of overcoming New Westminster for first place in WLA.

“We’re still learning even at this late point of the season,” said Heyes.

“We get up for the big games, but lack intensity against lowerranked teams.”

Victoria is 5-1 this season at home in the Q Centre.

But the Shamrocks again enter the danger zone against lowerranked opposition on the road on Saturday night when they are in Coquitlam to take on the lastplace Adanacs (2-13).