To do that they will have to reel in the Burnaby Lakers tonight at 7:45 at The Q Centre, before reloading with more bait for a trip to Coquitlam on Saturday to take on the Adanacs.
It鈥檚 all in an attempt to set their hooks into the New Westminster Salmonbellies, who currently maintain first place. After a late outing in Langley on Thursday, picking up a 9-3 win, New West has just one game remaining in its season.
After their victory Thursday, the Salmonbellies are six points up on the Shamrocks. Should both New West and Victoria win out, the Shamrocks would claim first based on the first tiebreaker 鈥� total wins. New West has two ties, which throws a hook into the race.
鈥淲e still have a chance at first place. If we can end up at 14-4, that still gives us a chance at first place,鈥� said Shamrocks head coach Bob Heyes, who is taking nothing for granted, especially after losing 12-10 to Burnaby last Friday.
He wasn鈥檛 overly thrilled with Wednesday鈥檚 11-8 win in Langley, but he was minus some key bodies in the Harnett brothers, Greg and Jon, both strong defencemen for the team. Thomas Moffatt, Steve Higgs and Tommy Arsenault were also out. Tyler Burton was playing through injury so Josh Fagan got some key work on faceoffs.
鈥淲e played with some guys who are banged up and these next two games are going to be tough as well,鈥� said Heyes. 鈥淭hese types of games, at this part of the year, are always tough to play. Teams are playing for pride or playoff spots and you have to be ready for it.鈥�
The four playoff spots are now decided with New Westminster, Victoria, Maple Ridge and Burnaby securing post-season berths. It鈥檚 all about placement now as the Shamrocks had two games in hand on all three teams heading into Thursday鈥檚 play.
The Harnetts are expected to play tonight and both teams will have a different look from last Friday鈥檚 outing.
鈥淲e鈥檒l have Jesse King in the lineup and they鈥檒l have [Tyler] Digby in, so you鈥檒l see a lot of dynamic players out there,鈥� said Heyes.
鈥淲e need to play better than we did [Wednesday]. We鈥檒l be ready.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e a good team with lots of firepower and they have something to prove. They鈥檙e building towards something and we鈥檙e on the same path.鈥�
Robert Church burned the Shamrocks for three goals and four assists in last Friday鈥檚 loss so Victoria will need an answer for that, and for a solid 60 minutes.
鈥淭he guys always like the light switch, they like that switch that they can turn on. But I preached it last year, there is no light switch. You have to be doing the right stuff at the right time,鈥� added Heyes, who is expected to go with Adam Shute in goal tonight.
