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Yes, Curtis Dickson is no longer there, but the Maple Ridge Burrards can do their fair share of scoring and, for that reason, the Victoria Shamrocks need to be a little leery entering the Western Lacrosse Association playoffs.
The two teams open up the best-of-seven semi-final at The Q Centre on Monday at 5 p.m.
鈥淭hey have lots of power. They have lots of talent up front,鈥� said Shamrocks head coach Bob Heyes. 鈥淲e鈥檙e familiar, playing them in last year鈥檚 final. They don鈥檛 have Curtis Dickson, but they have a good all-around team. We鈥檒l spend the long weekend looking at things and see them on Monday.鈥�
The Burrards have scored 173 goals this season, second to Victoria鈥檚 217, but Maple Ridge also allowed 168 鈥� 29 more than the Shamrocks.
It is expected to be a physical battle as the Burrards are well known for their antics. The two teams met in last year鈥檚 WLA final, which the Shamrocks won in five games, full of frustration and hatred.
鈥淭hey are not a fourth-place team. They鈥檙e a solid group. We know what to expect after playing them in the finals last year. We know it will be a tough series,鈥� said Shamrocks sniper Corey Small, who led the league in points with 79.
Teammate Rhys Duch was close behind with 75. Maple Ridge鈥檚 Ben McIntosh led the league in goals with 35, two up on Small and Jesse King and Langley鈥檚 Patrick Saunders. Duch had 31 goals and Ranger added 27. Victoria's Cory Conway led the WLA in assists with 55, so there should be plenty of offence.
Maple Ridge鈥檚 ability to irritate and get under your skin will not be lost on this veteran Shamrocks bunch that is looking for a third straight championship and appearance at the Mann Cup.
鈥淎ny team can beat anybody in this league and we鈥檙e well aware of that,鈥� said Shamrocks captain Scott Ranger, who has carried a hot stick as of late. 鈥淭hey have a heck of a squad over there and they鈥檙e going to come blazing.
鈥淲e have to play our own game and hopefully things take care of themselves,鈥� Ranger added of the extra-curricular activity. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e not an easy fourth-spot team. They鈥檙e going to play us hard and tough. We have to play through it, play our own game and hopefully, at the end of the series, we鈥檙e on top of it.鈥�
Victoria held the upper hand during the regular season. To correct Saturday鈥檚 story, the Shamrocks won three times against Maple Ridge 鈥� the two one-goal games (12-11 and 10-9 wins) and a 13-6 victory.
Duch led Victoria in the head-to-head matchups with six goals and nine assists, while Small had six goals and six helpers. Both Ranger and Daryl Veltman had three goals and nine assists over the three outings and Conway had three goals and eight assists against the Burrards.
The locals also have home-floor advantage.
鈥淧laying in front of these fans is phenomenal. We want to get that early start in the series. Sometimes, the first one gets the ball rolling for you,鈥� Ranger said. 鈥淲e feed off the fans, we really do. It鈥檚 like a sixth man on the floor. They are very knowledgeable and experienced in lacrosse. They bring the passion and intensity every game and we feel it on the floor.鈥�
Small, a fan favourite, felt the same way.
鈥淗ome floor is huge in the playoffs. The first goal is to get that first win and then we鈥檒l go from there,鈥� he said.
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