It took a while for the playoff match-ups to be finalized but Saturday, the Burnaby Lakers came to town to face the Intermediate ‘A’ Shamrocks in game 1 of a best-of-3 series.  It was the home team, on the strength of a second period scoring flurry, taking game 1 by an 8-3 score.

The starting goaltenders were Cory Mayzes for the ‘Rocks and Patrick Bayliss for the Lakers.  The opening period was very much a defensive affair, with only 2 goals scored, one by each team.  The first goal didn’t come until the 12:55 mark when Jake Emms took a quick pass and put the home team up by 1 with a shorthanded marker.  The Lakers finally got on the board at 19:36, Brian Gillis scoring with his team enjoying a 5-on-3 manpower advantage.  As noted, both defenses played well and both goaltenders were solid, Victoria holding a 17-13 advantage in shots on goal.  The Shamrock penalty killers came up big, as they were assessed 6 of the 7 minor penalties in the period.

Burnaby jumped out to a quick lead at 2:15 of the middle frame, Mike Deligiglio slipping one just inside the post.  That was the only time the visitors would see the lead as the Shamrocks responded with five unanswered goals.  Conrad Chapman tied things up at 5:11 with a quick stick just at the corner of the crease.  Dylan Lefebvre, who has held a hot hand of late, put the ‘Rocks up to stay, putting a shot over Bayliss’ shoulder at 11:10.  Ethan Garland then put a power play goal up on the board, getting a breakaway, faking high and shooting low.  Chapman notched his second of the contest on a fast break at 14:09 and 34 seconds later it was Raj Allen, scoring on a hard shot from the dotted line.  That was it for the scoring as the home team took a 6-2 lead to the dressing room after 40 minutes.  It was a very tame period penalty-wise, the Lakers taking the only minor penalty of the period.  The Shamrocks again held the advantage in shots on goal, this time by a margin of 16-7.

The Lakers again scored first in period 3, Robert Solteiro scoring unassisted at 5:39.  That was Burnaby’s one goal per period as the Shamrocks shut the door on them and got that one back at 14:05, Jesse King scoring on a play that originated with goaltender Mayzes.  At 19:16 Allen got his second of the game, a solo effort with a delayed penalty call pending to the Lakers.  It was Bayliss again facing the bulk of the shots as ‘Rocks shooters fired 17 his way, while Mayzes saw only 8 at the other end of the floor.

Leading the way for the Shamrocks were Raj Allen and Conrad Chapman, each with a pair of goals and 2 helpers.  Single goals came from Jake Emms, Ethan Garland, Dylan Lefebvre and Jesse King.  Team captain Jason Gregg checked in with 3 assists.  Cory Mayzes made 25 saves and contributed 1 assist in getting the ‘W’.  It’s the goal scorers that usually get the glory but today the entire Shamrocks team was solid defensively with particularly good efforts from James Spence, Russell Kirk, Adam Brown and Blair Pinnock. 

Three different Laker players each managed to solve Mayzes once but it was goaltender Patrick Bayliss with the top achievement as he kicked out 42 of the 50 shots he faced.

Next up for the Baby Rocks is game two in the series tomorrow (Sunday) in Burnaby.  A win will put them into the Provincials slated for Delta on the weekend of July 31-Aug. 3.  A loss and game 3 will be back at Bear Mountain next weekend.