VICTORIA 14 MAPLE RIDGE 9
The Rochester Knighthawks connection is still incomplete, but Victoria Shamrocks head coach Bob Heyes expects it will pay off in the long run.
Having added defenders Tyler Burton and Dylan Evans to the defensive corps and awaiting the arrival of goaltender Matt Vinc, the Shamrocks went to the well in signing the trio of National Lacrosse League champions for the 2013 Western Lacrosse Association season.
Vinc will arrive in town next week, and Burton and Evans were in the lineup for the eighth time this season in Friday night鈥檚 14-9 victory over the Maple Ridge Burrards in a battle for first place at Bear Mountain Arena.
Corey Small lit up the Burrards for six goals and three assists while Mitch Jones added four tallies and three helpers. Jeff Shattler, with a pair, Tyler Hass and Dan MacRae also scored for the winners, while Cory Conway had five assists.
Curtis Dickson had four goals for the visitors while Riley Loewen, with a pair, David Joyce, Aaron Pascas and Andrew Murphy also scored.
The Rochester trio has managed to win back-to-back titles in the NLL and Burton 鈥� who had a strong night Friday 鈥� and Evans were also Mann Cup champions from Brampton in 2011.
鈥淭hey bring a couple of things 鈥� coming through a championship, they have that mindset,鈥� Heyes said of his two additions. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e also won that Mann Cup in Brampton, so they bring some of those experiences and hopefully that experience comes out when it comes down to the big games.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e also athletic guys who fit into our defensive system. They bring that next step up of experience which, when we get going near the playoff stretch, will speak volumes.鈥�
They also bring a youthful exuberance, both just in their mid-20s, having made the trek west in search of another chance at a Mann Cup and extending their personal championship streaks.
鈥淭here are already a solid group of leaders here, so we鈥檝e just come in here to add help and to support it a little bit, in that sense,鈥� said Burton, 24, originally from London, Ont.
鈥淪o far, we鈥檙e just trying to get that chemistry together,鈥� he added. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 coming along. We鈥檙e still waiting on a few guys, but we still have almost two-thirds of the season to go.鈥�
The key missing piece is Vinc, who is described as the best goaltender in the sport of lacrosse.
鈥淏urts and I aren鈥檛 high-light reel guys. We鈥檙e depth guys who are hard workers, and that鈥檚 how we play,鈥� Evans said. 鈥淸Vinc] is a little bit of a different story. He鈥檚 a phenomenal goalie, the best in the game today. When you have him to rely on, when you have a mistake, it takes the pressure off.
鈥淗e鈥檒l be good,鈥� Evans insisted of Vinc, who is expected to play the next two games, miss one and then be in Victoria for the rest of the campaign.
Matt Flindell returned from injury to earn Friday鈥檚 win in goal.
鈥淚鈥檓 pretty excited about the opportunity we have. I鈥檓 still just fitting in and getting rolling with the team,鈥� said Evans, 25, who ventured out west with his girlfriend, Natalie, and has found work as a carpenter.
Like Burton, he helped hammer home a point on Friday.
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