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The Victoria Shamrocks failed to shake off the rust after an eight-day Western Lacrosse Association layoff, venturing into Queen鈥檚 Park Arena on Thursday night and suffering a 9-7 setback to the host New Westminster Salmonbellies.
The loss leaves the Shamrocks at 12-4 on the season and just two points up on the now 11-6 Salmon-bellies, who are awaiting a ruling on an appeal in which they forfeited two points to Maple Ridge.
Should the appeal go New West鈥檚 way, they could be tied with Victoria in points. However, the Salmonbellies have played one game more. New Westminster has won four straight games, but has just one left in its regular season.
Victoria has two remaining, including tonight鈥檚 home date against the Burnaby Lakers at 7:45 p.m. at The Q Centre. The Lakers are tied in third place with 16 points with the Langley Thunder, but have played two games fewer.
Maple Ridge has 14 points with two games left and Coquitlam sits at 12 points with three more games to come. Only Nanaimo, at 3-13, has officially been eliminated from a playoff spot.
鈥淩ight now, we don鈥檛 know who we鈥檙e going to be playing in that first round and we likely won鈥檛 till the bitter end. It鈥檚 a typical Western Lacrosse Association season 鈥� it鈥檚 probably going to be right down to the last game on who we will be playing,鈥� Shamrocks assistant coach Dave Lowdon said prior to Thursday鈥檚 game.
Scott Ranger and Chris Wardle had staked the Shamrocks to a 2-0 lead, but the visitors surrendered four straight goals to fall behind 4-2 after the first period.
The Salmonbellies made it 5-2 early in the second period before Jesse King and Corey Small cut it to 5-4. The teams tussled back and forth with Victoria trailing 7-6 after 40 minutes.
Ranger finished with two goals and four assists for Victoria.
King scored twice and Daryl Veltman had the other.
Logan Schuss had three goals (including a short-handed effort that made it 8-6 and the final goal) and three assists for New West, while Richard Lachlan, Shane MacDonald, Jordan McBride, Colton Clark, Connor Robinson and Jimmy McBride added one goal apiece
Aaron Bold suffered his first loss in goal for Victoria while Eric Penney earned the win as New West outshot Victoria 47-45.
CLOVER POINTS: It鈥檚 guaranteed win night tonight at The Q Centre, meaning if the Shamrocks lose to the Lakers, fans will win a spaghetti dinner from the Old Spaghetti Factory.
