With 10 straight wins under their belts, the Victoria Shamrocks are in a Western Lacrosse Association groove and are hoping it doesn鈥檛 end any time soon.
The team 鈥� 10-2 atop the standings after starting the year with two losses to Nanaimo 鈥� will look for victory No. 11 in Burnaby tonight against the 6-5 Lakers, who sit third in the league.
鈥淔or me, it鈥檚 not really about the streak, it鈥檚 just one game at a time,鈥� said a relaxed head coach Bob Heyes of the run. 鈥淲e鈥檙e two wins away from clinching a playoff spot and as I mentioned before, I think 14 wins will clinch first overall. Those are all goals.鈥�
How good has it been for the Shamrocks, you ask?
Over the past four games the team has outscored its opponents by a staggering 57-25 margin, reaching at least 11 goals in each game and topping out at 18.
Overall, the team has scored 144 goals for, 37 more than its closest rival, and allowed 91 against 鈥� tied for the fewest in the WLA with Burnaby, which has played one less game. Those stats speak volumes as they average an even 12 goals for and just 7.58 against.
鈥淥ur goal is four goals a period and less than nine a game against,鈥� admitted Heyes. 鈥淲e鈥檙e meeting those goals right now. The 12 a game is great and it鈥檚 been spread out, which helps. You鈥檙e not relying on one guy getting you five.
鈥淚f Corey Small doesn鈥檛 score one game it鈥檚 not the end of the world. Other guys have been picking it up.鈥�
Small has had another excellent year with 49 points, just one behind teammate Rhys Duch, who leads the WLA with 50. Cory Conway is right behind with 47 and his 37 assists leads that statistical category. Jesse King also has 23 goals, which heads up all WLA goal-scorers.
Yet, Heyes isn鈥檛 taking anything for granted.
鈥淏urnaby will be a tough game,鈥� he said of tonight鈥檚 7 p.m. start. 鈥淭hey started slow with a lot of their guys away at pro. They seem to have their goaltending figured out, too, with [Tye] Belanger coming to them from out east.鈥�
Heyes is expected to welcome back Dan Dawson into the lineup as he flies in, plays the game, then flies right back out afterward to make his firefighting shift Wednesday morning in Ontario.
鈥淚 told him he could stay home, that it was up to him to save wear and tear on the body, but his commitment speaks volumes to the team,鈥� said Heyes.
Dawson will also return to Victoria on Friday as the Shamrocks return home to play host to Coquitlam on Peninsula Co-op Mascot Madness and Card Giveaway night on Friday at 7:45 p.m. at The Q Centre. The first 200 children in attendance will receive a set of playing cards.
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