Up 3-2 in their series, the Victoria Shamrocks still have two cracks to finish off the Burnaby Lakers in the Western Lacrosse Association semifinals.
Pressure, the Shamrocks say, is still on the Lakers for tonight鈥檚 Game 6 at 6 p.m. in Burnaby to force a Game 7. But with a half-dozen bodies still out of the lineup and experiencing an inability to score inside the tough areas, it seems the opposite may be true for the three-time defending league champions and 2015 Mann Cup victors.
Whatever camp of reason fans side with, most would agree the Shamrocks need to solve the scoring issue 鈥� and quick.
The absence of Jesse King, Cory Conway and Ian McShane 鈥� the last of whom provided 15 goals and 17 assists as a secondary scorer this regular season 鈥� has taken its toll on the Rocks the last few games.
鈥淭hey were a desperate team and they couldn鈥檛 take their foot off the gas. They kept coming,鈥� Shamrocks head coach Bob Heyes said of Wednesday鈥檚 stunning 11-6 home loss. 鈥淲hat we still have to realize is that every year, this is a different team.
鈥淭hese guys need to learn to finish the series and that鈥檚 just part of the evolution of this team. We need to learn what鈥檚 next, what鈥檚 important in the process and executing the way we need to, to get things done. Yeah, it鈥檚 frustrating, but it鈥檚 all part of the bigger picture.鈥�
The picture was a little foggy Wednesday for Heyes鈥� offensive threats. Sure, they put together a 54-shot barrage in Game 5, but a lot of that came from outside, which Lakers goalie Zak Boychuk handled with ease.
鈥淚t鈥檚 easy to play goalie when it鈥檚 outside shots. We got inside, as well, so he played good,鈥� Heyes said of Boychuk, who put up solid numbers this season, No. 1 in several categories. 鈥淗e was probably the best goalie in the league this year, but that鈥檚 nothing. We鈥檝e had success against him before when he was in Nanaimo and earlier this year with Burnaby.鈥�
The scary part is, down 6-5 after two periods, the Shamrocks got a quick goal from captain Corey Small at 3:22 to tie it and then never scored again in the pivotal final period, a stanza they had previously owned through the first four games.
After 40 minutes, the Lakers were badly outshot, 46-22, but that mattered not on the night.
鈥淲e have to work a little harder up front,鈥� said Small, who had three of the six goals. 鈥淥ur transition and our power play, where they scored short-handed goals, are killing us. We can鈥檛 allow that to happen anymore and that was the difference.鈥�
Victoria can still finish it off tonight.
鈥淲e still only have to win one game and they have to win two, so the pressure is still on them,鈥� Heyes said. 鈥淭hey have to play a game on the edge. The core group of our guys has been through difficulties like this before. I expect them to step it up and give it their best effort, for sure.鈥�
CLOVER POINTS: Maple Ridge defeated New Westminster 11-10 late Wednesday to claim the other series 4-1 and give the Burrards the rest they require, which is another blow for the battered Shamrocks.
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