PLAYOFF PREVIEW: Victoria tries to knock off Minto Cup Champs Coquitlam

The Coquitlam Adanacs kick off their Minto Cup title defence at home in this best 3-of-5 series today at 2 PM at the Coquitlam Sports Centre. 

One of the bigger surprises in the BCJALL this year, the Victoria Shamrocks may be peaking at the right time. 

They didn't play their greatest game in last Sunday's sudden death play-in game against Langley, but did enough to squeak by with a 8-7 victory. They'll need to be much better and much more consistent to find a way to beat the Minto Cup defending champions. It's going to be a huge test for a program that is finally regaining some momentum as a team to beat in the league. 

Victoria hasn't beaten Coquitlam this year, but played them competitively in all three games and have returned some big pieces to their lineup since the two clubs last met.

(1) COQUITLAM ADANACS V. (4) VICTORIA SHAMROCKS

GAME 1: Saturday, July 15 - Victoria at Coquitlam - Coquitlam Sports Centre - 2 PM 

GAME 2: Sunday, July 16 - Coquitlam at Victoria - The Q Centre - 2 PM 

GAME 3: Saturday, July 22 - Victoria at Coquitlam - Coquitlam Sports Centre - 2 PM 

GAME 4: Sunday, July 23 - Coquitlam at Victoria - The Q Centre - 2 PM (If Necessary)

GAME 5: Monday, July 24 - Victoria at Coquitlam - Coquitlam Sports Centre - 5 PM (If Necessary) 

2017 HEAD-TO-HEAD

APRIL 30 -- ADANACS 9 SHAMROCKS 7

MAY 21 -- ADANACS 12, SHAMROCKS 6

JUNE 18 -- ADANACS 16 SHAMROCKS 6

SEASON SERIES: COQUITLAM 3-0 (38-19) 

STREAMING: PLAYFULLSCREEN

PLAYERS TO WATCH

THOMAS SEMPLE, COQUITLAM ADANACS - 15 GP, 27 G. 42 A, 69 PTS 

BRAYLON LUMB, VICTORIA SHAMROCKS - 20 GP, 35 G, 31 A, 66 PTS

KEENAN KOSWIN, COQUITLAM ADANACS - 13 GP, 26 G, 30 A, 56 PTS

MARSHAL KING, VICTORIA SHAMROCKS - 7 GP, 11 G, 30 A, 41 PTS

CHRISTIAN DEL BIANCO, COQUITLAM ADANACS - 21 GP, 16-0-1, .838 SV %, 984 MINUTES

WILL KINNAIRD, VICTORIA SHAMROCKS - 18 GP, 6-6, .714 SV %, 647 MINUTES

Does Victoria have their four-leaf clover?

Because that might be what they need to pull three wins out of five in this series. As good as the Shamrocks have been towards the end of the year, so have the Adanacs. Coquitlam is certainly looking like a well-oiled machine; they've won 18 games in a row and doubled up on Victoria in goals for their three-game regular season series (38-19). 

That task has immediately gotten tougher as the team's leading scorer Cole Pickup has bagged his bags and left the country to play college puck at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Pickup was scoring five points a game, putting up 37 goals and 58 assists for 95 points in 19 games played this season, and no one came within 20 points of him, although Brad McCulley did have 72 in 16 games. 

But we're not counting out the Shammy's by any means. They have an underrated defence with guys like Dylan Rehman, Garrett Wicks and Zack Homer playing some of their best lax of the season. They also have the depth scoring that they will need if Coquitlam is able to shut down some of the bigger guns in that Shamrock O. Look for Ben and Nick Preston to be presences, and a guy like Jake Campbell (10 G, 9 A in 9 GP) who has goalls in eight of his last ten games.

Amped up for another shot at the Minto 

Winning another Minto has to have been on the minds of most A's players since they clinched the Cup on home soil last season. To go win back-to-back championships, especially in Ontario, would be the crowning achievement of what's become a powerhouse franchise over the last decade and a half. 

They've reloaded with some key offensive and defensive pieces, but a lot of what was on last year's team remains this year. Gunners like Thomas Semple and Dennon Armstrong have lots of playoff experience, and the D is seasoned and has the best junior goalie in the country in Christian Del Bianco. 

Don't be surprised if they mix in some of their younger core in this season to get them ready for a potential trip the BCJALL finals. Jalen Chaster, Kyle Nichols and Will Clayton have all spent time with the team from their Inter A clubs and haven't looked out of place. 

It'll also be a chance for their newly acquired guys, players like Koswin, the Scanlon's and Baden Boyenko, to get their first taste of playoff lacrosse out west. They all figure to play key roles in this series.