VICTORIA聽 9
COQUITLAM聽 8
The Victoria Shamrocks completed their worst-to-first storyline by capturing the Western Lacrosse Association regular-season crown after starting the season 0-3 and 1-4.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not how you start but how you finish,鈥� said Victoria general manager Chris Welch.
鈥淲e dug ourselves out of a hole. I am proud of our group. This was no small feat. It was a great team effort and a testament to our depth.鈥�
Now, cue the Island playoff derby for a second consecutive year.
The Shamrocks and Nanaimo Timbermen will open their best-of-seven WLA semifinal series Tuesday night at The Q Centre. Game 2 will be Thursday evening at Frank Crane Arena in the Harbour City and Game 3 next Saturday at The Q Centre.
The Shamrocks beat the Timbermen, making their first playoff appearance in 11 seasons, 4-1 in last year鈥檚 WLA semifinals.
Victoria clinched the 2019 league regular-season title Saturday night in Coquitlam with a 9-8 victory over the last-place Adanacs (3-15). Coquitlam goaltender Andrew Gallant almost threw a spanner in the works with a 49-save performance.
鈥淣othing came easy for us this year and tonight was no different,鈥� Welch said.
The Shamrocks prevailed on three goals by spinning-top rookie Chris Boushy and two from NLL pro Connor Robinson, with one each from Tyler Burton, Tyler Pace, Zac Christianson and Josh Fagan. Cody Hagedorn made 28 saves in goal for Victoria.
The Shamrocks and Maple Ridge Burrards both finished 12-6, but Victoria held the tie-breaker.
The Timbermen survived a nerve-shredding 8-8 draw Friday night in Burnaby against the Lakers to gain fourth place. Both Nanaimo and Burnaby finished 10-7-1, but the tiebreaker went to the T-Men.
The Burrards and third-place New Westminster Salmonbellies (11-7) will meet in the other semifinal series.
Burnaby, which started 4-0 and was in first place for much of the season, will miss the post-season for a second consecutive year along with the Adanacs and Langley Thunder.
