Perhaps it was only fitting it happened on a Sunday, because Jon Harnett of the Victoria Shamrocks did his best Malcolm Butler impression. The result in Maple Ridge, in its own small way, was just as improbable as what happened 20 weeks ago in Glendale, Arizona, to break the hearts of Seahawk Nation.
鈥淛on shot the gap, just like [Butler] in the Super Bowl,鈥� said Victoria Shamrocks coach Bob Heyes, about the incredible turn of events that led to Victoria鈥檚 10-9 Western Lacrosse Association overtime victory against the Burrards at Cam Neely Arena.
The score was tied 9-9 late in the 10-minute, non-sudden-death overtime period, when Maple Ridge did a gutsy thing. The Burrards, with ball possession, pulled their goaltender with 17 seconds remaining. WLA games end in a tie if nothing is settled in overtime. But Maple Ridge wanted it all. Harnett, however, anticipated correctly and intercepted a Burrards pass and raced down the floor to score into an empty net with one second remaining to give Victoria the one-goal victory in the most unlikely of scenarios.
鈥淢aple Ridge [2-6] needs wins and points in the standings,鈥� said Heyes, of why he thinks the Burrards took such a gamble.
The Shramrocks (6-2), on the other hand, won their sixth consecutive game and are ranked No. 3 in sa国际传媒 behind the Six Nations Chiefs and Peterborough Lakers of Ontario.
Still, victory came only by the thinnest of margins after Victoria had opened up a 7-2 lead. Maple Ridge scored six unanswered goals, including three on the power play and one short-handed, to take an 8-7 lead. It took a goal by Victoria鈥檚 Rhys Duch at 18:09 of the third period to tie it 8-8 and send the game to overtime.
鈥淲e鈥檙e still finding our identity and who we are,鈥� said Heyes.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not playing full 60-minute games, yet.鈥�
Victoria, however, did play a 69:59 minute game for victory Sunday.
鈥淏ut it鈥檚 frustrating because these are teams against who we should be executing better against,鈥� said Heyes.
Daryl Veltman led the Shamrocks with two goals and four assists for six points, while Duch added three goals and two assists and Scott Ranger a goal and three assists. Other Victoria goals came from Jesse King, Rory Smith, Chris Wardle, and Harnett with a winner to long remember. Connor Goodwin had two goals for Maple Ridge.
Victoria starter Cody Hagedorn let in three goals with 22 saves in 37 minutes before a game misconduct resulted in Matt Roik being forced into service and finishing with six goals allowed and 18 saves in 33 minutes. Frank Scigliano and Carson Michaud combined to make 41 saves in goal for the Burrards.
The Shamrocks return home for a WLA first-place showdown Friday night at The Q Centre against the nationally fourth-ranked New Westminster Salmonbellies (6-2). The game will feature Victoria鈥檚 complete roster for the first time this season, including power forward Dan Dawson and goaltender Aaron Bold.
