GAME 3 PREVIEW: Adanacs look to punch ticket to big dance

GAME 3 -- COQUITLAM LEADS BEST-OF-5 SERIES 2-0 

SATURDAY, JULY 22 -- COQUITLAM SPORTS CENTRE -- 2 PM

STREAMING ON PLAYFULLSCREEN (PPV)

Most BCJALL fans may not even remember the last time the Coquitlam Adanacs weren't in the finals - and the purple and gold can again clinch their ticket to the big dance with a Game 3 victory and sweep over the Victoria Shamrocks. 

While the Shamrocks have played the A's competitively over the course of last weekend's two games, they couldn't quite figure out the right formula and now sit on the brink of elimination. In a lot of ways, they've found themselves in the same predicament as the Port Coquitlam Saints did - good enough to give the top two teams a scare, but maybe just not enough juice to get past them. 

Winning in different ways

Game 1 and 2 gave fans a glimpse at how versatile this year's Coquitlam team is. When they're not scoring 15 goals a game, they're shutting things down on the defensive end, suffocating teams for periods at a time. Following a see-saw Game 1 battle in which Victoria did a reasonably good job not to get run off the floor, the Shamrocks started well in Game 2, leading 3-1 after 1 at home. 

But that's when the A's flexed that defensive muscle, only allowing Victoria two more goals over the final 40 minutes. They also held the Rocks to just 25 shots over that span, too easy of a night for Christian Del Bianco between the pipes. 

They also can't allow the momentum to swing too far out of their own control. In Game 1, Coquitlam went on an 8-3 run spanning across the first and second periods. In Game 2 they scored nine straight goals, including a third period where they outscored the Shamrocks 7-2. 

Firing up the big guns  

Victoria will need a game where their big guns in King, Lumb and McCulley are all getting things cooking to stretch the D thin and create better individual opportunities for one another. 

Knowing they won't be able to stop the Adanacs all game, the Shamrocks may turn their focus to turning this game into a bit of a track meet to see if they can find the goals needed to get them on the board, for at least one game.

PREDICTION - Victoria can make things close, and likely will knowing their season is on the line, but Coquitlam will be too powerful today. Adanacs 15-6. 

Photo taken by Mario Bartel of the Tri-City News.