The Burrards put the special in special teams Sunday night at Cam Neely Arena in Maple Ridge to edge the Victoria Shamrocks 9-8 and level the best-seven Western Lacrosse Association final series 1-1.
The third game is tonight at The Q Centre in Colwood.
The score was deadlocked 3-3 after one period, with Victoria looking to open the second period with more than four minutes remaining of a five-minute Burrards major penalty, when the tide turned. Not in Victoria’s favour, but Maple Ridge’s, as Curtis Dickson and Jeff Cornwall scored short-handed 11 seconds apart to put the Burrards ahead 5-3 in the first two minutes of the second frame. So at just the moment the Victoria power play was thinking of altering the tone in its direction, came a whiplash shift in fortune toward Maple Ridge, thanks to its penalty-kill unit.
“We were chasing the game after that,” said Shamrocks head coach Bob Heyes.
The Burrards overall were better than in the 9-4 Victoria win in Game 1 at The Q Centre.
“Maple Ridge found the rhythm it had in the New Westminster series [4-0 sweep of the regular-season Salmonbellies in the semifinals],” said Heyes.
“After a fast-paced opening period, it turned into a highly physical, tough game.”
The Burrards led 6-4 after two periods before Victoria levelled 7-7 midway through the third period. But goals by Dan Taylor and Curtis Dickson regained the two-goal lead for Maple Ridge. Rhys Duch scored for Victoria with 32 seconds remaining in regulation time with Shamrocks goaltender Adam Shute on the bench for an extra attacker. Victoria won the ensuing faceoff and attacked but was unable to find the equalizer.
Rob Hellyer had three goals and four assists for the Shamrocks, rookie Tyson Gibson two goals and Duch, Jesse King and junior call-up Brad McCulley one goal each. Dickson led Maple Ridge with his second hat trick in as many games in the series on a five-point night. Jean-Luc Chetner also scored three times for the Burrards.
Shute and Maple Ridge’s Frank Scigliano each made 34 saves.
The fourth game is Thursday at Cam Neely Arena and fifth game on Saturday night at The Q Centre.
The WLA champion will meet the winner of the Ontario final between the Peterborough Lakers and Oakville Rock in the best-of-seven 2018 Mann Cup national championship to be played at the home of the Ontario champion.
