Just Too Much

Submitted by League Reporter, Jen Mutas

Not only was Saturday’s game the third in one week for Delta, it was the second in as many nights as they hosted the Shamrocks after defeating the Saints in Port Coquitlam on Friday night. Riding a two game winning streak, Victoria was hoping to take advantage of the Islanders hectic schedule and catch them at a moment of weakness.

Just two Saturdays earlier these two teams faced each other at Bear Mountain Arena, and this game would prove to have a similar outcome with comparable trends. The first period appeared to be an extremely well balanced match up with both sides trading goals back and forth until penalties got the better of each team. Two bench minors called against Victoria would give the Islanders a two man advantage for just over a minute about halfway through the period. For the second game in a row the first three goals scored by the Islanders would be netted by one player; Friday night was Mike Berekoff and the natural hat trick on Saturday went to Ryan Keith. After killing their penalties Victoria would score two goals and cut the Islanders lead to just one goal heading into the first break.

The start of the second period would have much of the same feel as the first, but then the Shamrocks opened up and let loose on Delta for the rest of the period; dominating at regular strength, on the power play, and also playing a man down. Eight goals including four on the PP and one short handed catapulted the ‘Rocks into the lead, and even after scoring three goals in the middle frame, an almost expected fatigue appeared to set in with the Islanders.

Up by four goals after two periods the ‘Rocks made use of their thirty second clock for the majority of the third and managed to keep the Islanders from scoring any more goals. Casey Jackson converted a nice short-handed goal from Jason Gregg and goaltender Adam Hickey to bring his tally to four goals, matching teammate Karsen Leung on the scoresheet. Delta couldn’t catch a break towards the end of the game either, with Mike Mallory ringing a post with forty five seconds left, and Sean O’Neill ringing another one with just twenty seconds left. Final Score from the Ladner Arena would see the Islanders get doubled by the ‘Rocks 12-6.

The win on Saturday was Victoria’s third win in a row since their tie with New West on May 16th. Ben Stebbins had a great night in the faceoff circle for the Shamrocks winning twelve and losing just five. Victoria goalie Adam Hickey was in all the right places at all the right times tonight ending up with two points as he assisted on two of Jackson’s four goals. Chalk it up to good defending by Victoria, or the result of a packed schedule for the Islanders, big names like Mike Mallory were held to two points on Saturday, and Carlton Schuss to one assist. Islander’s goalie Blake Duncan who has the most minutes played in the BCJALL by sixty-eight minutes, stood tall in the first and third period but unfortunately the second ended up setting the tone for the game.