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Late push keeps Victoria Shamrocks rolling

The song Gloria by Laura Branigan reverberated loudly in a loop in the Victoria Shamrocks鈥 dressing room following their fourth consecutive Western Lacrosse Association victory, and fifth win in six games, Friday night at The Q Centre.
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Shamrocks sniper Chris Boushy gets a shot on Thunder goaltender Steve Fryer during WLA action at The Q Centre.

The song Gloria by Laura Branigan reverberated loudly in a loop in the Victoria Shamrocks鈥 dressing room following their fourth consecutive Western Lacrosse Association victory, and fifth win in six games, Friday night at The Q Centre.

The reference to the St. Louis Blues worst-to-first Stanley Cup theme song is not meant to be subtle. The Shamrocks, who began the season 0-3, have embraced that storyline wholeheartedly.

鈥淲e鈥檙e taking a page out of the St. Louis book,鈥 said rookie Shamrocks sniper Chris Boushy, who scored two goals in the 8-5 victory over the Langley Thunder.

Victoria extended its winning streak the hard way. The last-place Langley Thunder (2-9) made the Shamrocks (5-4) earn it.

Victoria rode a staunch defence, and the timely goaltending of Cody Hagedorn, to victory before about 1,500 fans.

鈥淭he song worked for St. Louis,鈥 quipped Hagedorn.

It wasn鈥檛 the quantity, but quality, of Hagedorn鈥檚 33 saves in a game that wasn鈥檛 decided until late in the final period.

鈥淎 goalie鈥檚 job is to give your team a chance to win,鈥 said Hagedorn. 鈥淎nd a big part of that is standing tall in the third period when it鈥檚 on the line.鈥

Shamrocks head coach Bob Heyes, a former goaltender, said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 about getting that big save when you need it. Langley worked its butt off but our goaltending and defence was great tonight.鈥

National Lacrosse League pro great Dane Dobbie, the all-time leading scorer in Calgary Roughnecks franchise history, was not in the Langley lineup. Mind you, the Shamrocks were missing four of their top snipers 鈥 Jesse King, Tyson Gibson, Casey Jackson and Rhys Duch.

Victoria native Brad McCulley, from the Junior Shamrocks and NCAA Div. 1 Robert Morris, showed why the Thunder made him the third overall selection in the first round of the 2019 WLA draft. McCulley had a goal and assist in the first period as Langley had Victoria deadlocked 3-3.

Connor Robinson, the NLL Saskatchewan Rush pro and former sa国际传媒 Junior A League MVP, put Langley into the lead in the second period. But transition-standout Steve Priolo, pouncing on a rebound, and Boushy, on a fine balancing act on the crease line, sent the hosts into the second break with a 5-4 lead.

Dylan Kinnear, on Langley鈥檚 first power play of the night, levelled it 5-5 with his second goal of the game. Josh Fagan, on a sharp assist from Chris Wardle, scored his second goal of the game at 7:45 of the third as Victoria regained the lead. A power-play goal by Keegan Bell, Victoria鈥檚 first-round pick in the 2019 WLA draft, put Victoria ahead by two. Then Boushy, on a one-handed back hand, scored perhaps the goal of the season to close out scoring.

Cole Pickup, the 2018 first-round draft pick, had two goals for the Shamrocks.

The Shamrocks begin a string of five consecutive road games that will likely define their season, beginning today at Queen鈥檚 Park Arena in New Westminster, against the Salmonbellies.