听
The Victoria Shamrocks, trailing the New Westminster Salmonbellies 3-1 in the best-of-seven Western Lacrosse Association final, don鈥檛 have far to look to draw inspiration for the seemingly daunting task at hand.
The Burnaby Lakers and Salmonbellies were both down 3-1 in the WLA semifinals this month before forcing deciding Game 7s, with the Lakers losing to the Shamrocks and the Salmonbellies rallying to beat the Maple Ridge Burrards.
鈥淔irst, we have to believe,鈥� said Shamrocks head coach Bob Heyes. 鈥淎nd you can鈥檛 do it all at once. You can only do it bit by bit.鈥�
Starting Sunday night with Game 5 at Queen鈥檚 Park Arena in New Westminster. If required, Game 6 would be on Tuesday at the Q Centre and Game 7 next Friday in New Westminster.
The Shamrocks are in this hole, in part, because of undisciplined and unforced penalties, such as those for too many men on the floor and delay of game. Then there are the infractions that lead to whistles and loss-of-possession calls, which are the equal of turnovers. All this has cost Victoria dearly in the final series against the composed and methodical Salmonbellies. But the infractions should go both ways, the Shamrocks say.
鈥淲e get called for holds. . . maybe we鈥檙e not as sneaky,鈥� Heyes said.
The Shamrocks know they can鈥檛 worry about the officiating and get flustered and off-track in their focus. They have no room for error and must win out to keep alive their dreams of getting to the Mann Cup national final.
鈥淚t seems like the world is against us, so we have to stick together,鈥� said veteran Victoria goal-scoring sniper Rhys Duch.
The winner of the series will host the Mann Cup national championship series against the winner of the Ontario final between the Peterborough Lakers and Six Nations Chiefs. The Lakers take a 2-0 lead into Game 3 tonight.
The Shamrocks last won the Mann Cup in 2015 and have nine national titles in total. The Salmonbellies have won a record 24 Mann Cups since 1913, although none since 1991. The Shamrocks are in the WLA final for a fifth consecutive year, having won in 2013, 2014 and 2015 before losing to Maple Ridge last year.
New Westminster last won the WLA title in 2010, the final of a three-year run as league champions. Seven years later, they are looking for a return to WLA glory with a win tonight. But they aren鈥檛 there, yet, said Heyes: 鈥淲e still have to get to four wins, just like they do.鈥�
