The cavalry is on its way.
Just how many saviours ride in on time is the question for the Victoria Shamrocks.
The local Western Lacrosse Association club may benefit from the return of Calgary Roughnecks Jon and Greg Harnett, Karsen Leung and Scott Ranger for back-to-back outings tonight in New Westminster and back home Friday to Maple Ridge.
The Harnetts are slated to meet the team on the mainland for tonight’s 7:45 start and head coach Bob Heyes could use the young legs of Leung. Ranger is more likely to go on Friday at The Q Centre, also at 7:45 p.m. against the Burrards.
“They’re banged up and a little down after the loss,” Heyes said of Calgary’s devastating defeat by Rochester in the National Lacrosse League final last Saturday, losing Game 2, 16-10, then dropping the mini game tie-breaker 3-2. The Roughnecks had 6-4 and 2-0 leads in those respective outings.
“We know the Harnetts will be over there waiting for us.
“Karsen and Ranger are back, it’s just frustrating that we haven’t been able to practise with them yet and really put stuff together. We’re kind of going by the seat of our pants.”
The Shamrocks (2-0-1) will try to keep that unblemished record intact against the 2-1 Salmonbellies. Rhys Duch should be back and Heyes will insert Bubba Westwood into tonight’s game, replacing brother George Westwood, who remains suspended for one more contest. Heyes also has a delicate situation in that it’s back-to-back games, in particular with handling the Calgary returnees.
“The way the WLA is, you have to get those points when you can. There isn’t a form sheet you can go by,” said Heyes, who isn’t getting Dan MacRae back, who opted not to return from Calgary.
Leung, on the other hand, can’t wait.
“It was disappointing losing, again. So close, against the same guys,” he said referring to players such as Cody Jamieson, Stephen Keogh and Craig Point who helped Rochester defeat Calgary — the same key guys who led Six Nations to a Mann Cup triumph in Victoria last fall.
“It’s going to haunt us for a while, but with this season we’re going to have to put it past us — us meaning the Harnetts and Ranger.”
Leung is coming off a fine first season in which he was up for the NLL rookie of the year award.
“It was a really good year, with the new coach. It was awesome, coach [Curt] Malawsky taught me a lot and the leaders on the team, they helped me a bunch. The NLL helped improve my game so much more and hopefully I can contribute to this [Shamrocks] team a lot more than my previous two years here.
“It’s always nice to be recognized for putting in the work, but [at] the end of the day it’s the championships that are the ones you remember,” the 24-year-old Leung said of being an award finalist.
As for getting into game action tonight, Leung said: “A little rest would be nice. I don’t need a whole bunch of time. Obviously a [championship] loss sets you back a little bit further, but I’m ready to play.
“I’m expecting big things from this team,” he added. “We’re really young, but I think we're going to be really good. I’m excited to be joining the guys and I think we’re going to make some noise.”
