There were no stealth attacks this time as the Victoria Shamrocks got off to a 1-0 lead in their best-of-seven WLA semifinal series against the Nanaimo Timbermen.
The Timbermen, in their first playoff game in 11 seasons last year, shocked the Shamrocks in Game 1 of the 2018 semifinals. Lesson absorbed, Victoria came back to win the series in five games.
The teams are meeting again in the semifinals and the top-seed Shamrocks were wary and knew the fourth-seed T-Men would again be looking for a quick punch in the opening game.
Those Nanaimo hopes were dashed by a methodical 11-4 victory by the Shamrocks on Tuesday night at The Q Centre.
鈥淲e鈥檝e had some bad starts in playoff series the last couple of years and we knew coming out strong in this first game was very important,鈥� said veteran Shamrocks sniper Jesse King, who scored a hat-trick.
Those thoughts were echoed by transition standout Graeme Hossack, who scored twice.
鈥淎nything can happen in the playoffs and we knew Naniamo would be coming out hard at us,鈥� said the 2018 NLL pro defensive player of the year. 鈥淏ut we were clicking on all cylinders.鈥�
The Shamrocks played a well-rounded game with three of their goals from defensive or transition players, two by Hossack and one by Derek Llyod, as Victoria built a 4-1 first-period lead and an 8-1 advantage by 12:51 of the second period to chase Nanaimo starter Charles Claxton from the crease.
Rookie find Chris Boushy matched King with the hat-trick for Victoria. Connor Robinson and rookie Marshal King had a goal each. Nick Finlay, Ryan Sheridan, Jon Phillips and Gord Phillips scored the Nanaimo goals.
Peter Dubenski made several timely saves in goal for Victoria.
Game 2 is Thursday night at Frank Crane Arena in the Harbour City, Game 3 Saturday night at The Q Centre.
BOXLA BITS: Not that there鈥檚 much on the line today in the sa国际传媒 Junior A Lacrosse League. The deciding Game 7 of the playoff semifinal series between the Victoria Junior Shamrocks and New Westminster Junior Salmonbellies goes at 5 p.m. in the The Q Centre. Hanging in the balance is a berth in the 2019 Minto Cup national championship tournament next month at the Langley Events Centre to join the Coquitlam Junior Adanacs, 4-2 winners over the Nanaimo Junior Timbermen in the other sa国际传媒 semifinal, and the winners of the Prairie and Ontario junior leagues.
