A full cast meant a fulsome 10-2 Victoria Shamrocks victory Friday night over the Coquitlam Adanacs before 2,124 fans at the Q Centre.
鈥淭his is the family . . . this is our team going forward,鈥� said Victoria coach Bob Heyes, who welcomed back to the roster several players from injuries and an impressive newcomer.
The game featured the Shamrocks debut of NLL Rochester Knighthawks pro Joe Resetarits, one of the best offensive talents in the game, who was inked late last month at the signing deadline. The American, out of the University of Albany NCAA Div. 1 field lacrosse, scored his first goal for Victoria with a wicked shot and then slid to the crease on the power play for his second goal on a three-point night.
Resetarits left his home in upstate New York on Friday at 4 a.m. ET and arrived in time at the Q Centre to menacingly buzz the Coquitlam net all night.
鈥淚 was a little bit rusty, but once I got my feet under me, I fed off Rhys [Duch] and Corey [Small],鈥� he said.
Duch rejoined the team from injury and celebrated his 31st birthday with a goal and four assists. Small scored three goals with one assist to push his league leads to 32 goals, 40 assists and 72 points.
Resetarits said he was lifted by the Victoria crowd: 鈥淚 have heard so much about it from other players . . . it [rivals] Peterborough鈥檚 in Ontario. It was like playing in the pro [NLL].鈥�
Faceoff commando and useful two-way player Tyler Burton, injured until now, made his 2017 debut and helped the Shamrocks with his all-round play.
Goalie Aaron Bold, an NLL pro who flies in on spot duty during the regular season, made 42 saves for the win.
Dallas Wade scored twice for the Shamrocks. Also scoring for Victoria were Steve Priolo short-handed and Mike Triolo.
The Maple Ridge Burrards (10-4) rallied to beat the Burnaby Lakers 9-7 Friday. That left the Burrards in first place with 20 points, Victoria (9-4-1) in second with 19 and Burnaby (8-5-1) in third with 17.
Former New England College field-lacrosse player Brian Gillis, who has played for Ireland at the world championships in both box and field, scored twice for Coquitlam. The Adanacs fall to 4-8.
The game was rugged with several scraps.
鈥淲e wanted to find our physical play,鈥� said Heyes.
The Shamrocks are in Nanaimo tonight for the Island derby to take on the Timbermen (4-8-1).
