After an off week, the 5-2 Shamrocks get back to work on the road against the 3-3 Lakers at 7 p.m.
King is still busy completing his degree at Ohio State University and missed out on the first seven games of the 2016 campaign for the three-time league victors and defending Mann Cup champions. He is slotted to play a handful of regular-season games and then in the playoffs.
鈥淒efinitely, it鈥檚 a bonus. He鈥檚 another weapon for the offence, which is good,鈥� said head coach Bob Heyes.
Victoria sits second in league standings, three points behind the Maple Ridge Burrards, who have played two more games than the Shamrocks, who enter tonight鈥檚 contest on a two-game winning streak.
The Shamrocks defeated Maple Ridge 12-10 in their last game on June 12.
Rhys Duch, who has nine goals and nine assists in his last two games with Victoria and leads the league in goals (20) and points (45), will not be in the lineup as he was married this past weekend.
Cory Conway, who leads the WLA in assists (31), is expected back from injury and Jeff Shattler, who missed the win in Maple Ridge, should also return.
Recently acquired goaltender Adam Shute will join the team on Friday at home to New Westminster.
鈥淭his is when the games really start to get difficult for all teams. I expect [today] will be a big challenge for us, for sure,鈥� said Heyes. 鈥淏urnaby has its full lineup now with [Tyler] Digby and [Robert] Church, with guys back from the pro league, and New West will be the same on Friday. We鈥檒l start to see who is for real and who is pretend.鈥�
The Lakers also have goalie Zak Boychuk, who leads the WLA in save percentage (.862) and goals-against average (6.25). Boychuk was acquired from Nanaimo in the off-season.
CLOVER POINTS: The WLA recently suspended Langley鈥檚 Brodie MacDonald and Brandon Clelland for one game each after altercation on June 18 in Nanaimo. Langley was also fined $500 and the Timbermen were assessed a $1,000 fine for the off-floor incident after the game.
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