Victoria is in Langley to face the Thunder tonight at 7 before returning home to welcome the Coquitlam Adanacs in a huge clash on Friday at 7:45 p.m. at The Q Centre.
New Westminster sits 6-3-2 in the standings; Maple Ridge is 6-3-1; and the Shamrocks and Coquitlam are both 6-3 with games in hand. Burnaby was 5-4-1 entering its game at home late Tuesday night against Nanaimo (the Timbermen were 3-7 prior to that outing).
Shamrocks head coach Bob Heyes will have Jesse King in the lineup tonight, but not Friday, and his team should be refreshed after a second lengthy layoff (not having played since June 24).
鈥淭he second half will be the focus. We鈥檝e had a unique break with some time off, so it gives the mindset that we were 6-3 in the first half and 鈥� I think, for all the different pressures and different lineups we鈥檝e dressed 鈥� that鈥檚 a damn good record,鈥� said Heyes.
鈥淚t only gets tougher going forward though. All the teams, like ourselves, have their rosters finalized now with whatever additions they鈥檝e made. It鈥檚 now a dogfight.鈥�
Which teams break out of the pack will be the most interesting aspect of the second half.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if anyone is going to break out and if anyone latches on to grab it,鈥� Heyes said of the run to first place. 鈥淚 think we鈥檙e well prepared for it.
鈥淕oaltending wise we鈥檙e good. Offensively we are very good and have a bit of depth there. Our defence isn鈥檛 as dominating as it has been in the last few years, but still has been very effective. I still think there is a ton of room for improvement, which bodes well.
鈥淲ill one team take off? I don鈥檛 know. But I know our goal is still first place,鈥� added Heyes, whose team is a three-time league champion and defending Mann Cup title holders.
There are nine games remaining for the Shamrocks, five on the road and four at home.
The Shamrocks are coming off an 11-day game-less stretch.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 good for us. Our team, with our core guys, has played so many games including the winter season. This break is huge for guys to get their minds and bodies in a better place,鈥� said Heyes.
Rhys Duch was recently married and is returning from time off. Corey Small also enjoyed a belated honeymoon, said Heyes.
鈥淕uys are getting time in the middle of the season to de-compress,鈥� said Heyes.
Newcomer Doug Langlois will be in the lineup tonight and recently acquired goaltender Adam Shute should be in line for a start tonight as well.
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