35 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

Battered, bruised, and injury-depleted the Victoria Shamrocks battled to the very end before finally succumbing to the Lakers by a score of 7-5 in the 5th and final game of the Mann Cup Finals presented by Island Savings.  With the victory, the Peterborough Lakers claimed their 3rd consecutive Mann Cup. 

 

Missing the likes of Jesse King, Rhys Duch, Casey Jackson, and Tyler Pace the Shamrocks certainly entered game 5 behind the eight ball.  Despite all of that, the club battled with an intestinal fortitude that many would have forgiven them if they didn't display it. The Shamrocks turned game 5 into a defensive war and it nearly worked in their effort to extend the series to the weekend. 

 

 

https://www.victoria...-falls-short-as

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 12 September 2019 - 03:46 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

It could be a while before Island lacrosse fans hear that familiar squeak of sneakers on the concrete floors of arenas.

 

The Western Lacrosse Association, which includes the Victoria Shamrocks and Nanaimo Timbermen, has joined the long list of sports leagues and events impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

It was announced Tuesday the 2020 WLA season, set to open May 21, has been postponed.

 

“First and foremost, it is about following the provincial guidelines, and keeping everyone safe and well,” said Shamrocks general manager Chris Welch.

 

https://www.timescol...emic-1.24110226

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 01 April 2020 - 04:22 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

fired their coach.

[pontcanna]

Victoria Shamrocks part ways with head coach Bob Heyes 

 

FEBRUARY 15, 2021 

 

Bob Heyes got the relationship-type ‘it’s not you, it’s us’ line in being dismissed as head coach of the Victoria Shamrocks after eight winning seasons and four Western Lacrosse Association championships. 

 

“Bob has done a great job but it was time for a change,” said GM Chris Welch. 

 

“Eight years is a long run for a head coach in our league and we felt the time was right for a change. It’s just a reality of coaching in sports that it is a temporary job, and every coach will eventually run their course with a team. I feel we have reached that point.” 

 

Full article: https://www.timescol...eyes-1.24282515

 

 

[Victoria Watcher]

Another lacrosse season will be lost to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

The Western Lacrosse Association announced Tuesday, May 18, that it is cancelling the 2021 season. The WLA said in a press release that the “difficult and disappointing decision” to cancell the season and the Mann Cup national championship was made in partnership with Major Series Lacrosse and Lacrosse Canada.

 

According to the press release, the leagues had been planning a delayed start to the season and had drafted revised schedules with an eye to the Mann Cup going ahead in September. However, “considering directions from government and public health authorities,” the commissioners concluded “it would not be possible or responsible to play this year.”

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.vicnews....ue-to-covid-19/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 18 May 2021 - 08:51 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Lacrosse and baseball are back after two missed seasons. CHEK will broadcast the ­Victoria Shamrocks season opener against the New Westminster Salmonbellies (one of the most underrated names in sports, BTW) on May 27.

 

https://www.timescol...ted-fun-5385568

[Victoria Watcher]

Shamrock, Salmonbellies face-off to herald return of the WLA

 

The last time a lacrosse ball was fired in anger, or at least with the intent to score, at The Q Centre was in 2019.

 

https://www.timescol...the-wla-5412693

[Victoria Watcher]

Shamrocks drop to fourth seed, start WLA playoffs on the road

Thanks to coming out on the wrong end of a four-team tiebreaker, the road to the Mann Cup for the Victoria Shamrocks will start at the Langley Events Centre.

 

https://www.timescol...he-road-5666408

[Victoria Watcher]

The Victoria Shamrocks needed overtime Thursday night in Game 4, but they’ve clawed all the way back into their Western Lacrosse Association semifinal series with the Langley Thunder.

 

After Curtis Dickson disappointed the home crowd with a snipe with just 38 seconds remaining in the third period to force overtime, Jacob Ruest and Chris Wardle scored in the 10-minute extra frame to send the Shamrocks to a 12-10 victory, evening the series a 2-2. Game 5 goes Saturday at 4 p.m. at the Langley Events Centre. Game 6 is set for Sunday at 5 p.m. at The Q Centre.

 

 

 

https://www.timescol...-series-5688618

[Victoria Watcher]

The regular season is OK for moral victories. But only real ones matter in the shorter ­crucible of the playoffs.

 

The fourth-seed Victoria Shamrocks gave the top-seed New Westminster ­Salmonbellies all they could handle in the first game, won 11-9 by the ­Salmonbellies, of their best-of-five Western Lacrosse Association playoff semifinal series on Wednesday night at Queen’s Park Arena.

 

 

https://www.timescol...bellies-7366422

[Victoria Watcher]

Cap Daily:

 

Victoria Shamrocks reach 17-0 record with Sunday win
The local lacrosse team, est. 1950, won its final regular-season home game at the Q Centre. The locals play on the road on Thursday, seeking a perfect 18-0 season. Their playoffs start Aug. 7; ticket sales start today.

[Victoria Watcher]

It was a regular season for the record books, but the Victoria Shamrocks know full well the record book is on the shelf now and it’s time re-focus for the Western Lacrosse Association playoffs, where everyone starts with exactly the same record.

 

The WLA champs put their 18-game winning streak on the line tonight at The Q Centre when they host Game 1 of their best-of-five first-round playoff series against the fourth-seed New Westminster Salmonbellies (8-10). Game 2 goes Friday night at Queen’s Park Arena in New Westminsters, with Game 3 back at The Q Centre on Sunday night.

 

The Shamrocks enter the series as heavy favourites, the Salmonbellies still pack some serious punch on the attack. New Westminster’s 191 goals were second only to Victoria’s 197 and Salmonbellies’ super sniper Will Malcom led almost every offensive cateogry this season, leading the league in points (112), goals (52) and assists (60).

 

It’s at the other end of the floor where the Shamrocks take a huge advantage into the series. Chris Origlieri led the WLA in goals-against average (6.70), save-percentage (.842) and wins (10).

 

 

https://www.timescol...google_vignette

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 07 August 2024 - 06:45 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Shamrocks win WLA championship to advance to Mann Cup

 

The Shamrocks defeated the Langley Thunder 13-7 to sweep the best-of-seven league final in four games

 

 

Victoria’s last appearance was in 2019 in a 4-1 games loss to the Peterborough Lakers at the Q Centre. Ontario teams have dominated by winning 15 of 16 Mann Cups since 2006. There was no competition in 2020 or 2021 due to the pandemic. To make the Shamrocks’ task even more daunting is the fact no WLA team has won the Mann Cup on the road since the Salmonbellies in 1986 at Whitby, Ont.

 

Victoria’s nine Mann Cup championships are fourth all-time behind New Westminster’s 24, Peterborough’s 18 and Brampton’s 11. Nanaimo won its lone title in 1956.

 

The WLA season was a story told in three parts for the Shamrocks. First was the unprecedented unbeaten, untied regular season of 18-0. The second chapter was a short best-of-five opening-round playoff series against the cagey and defending-champion New Westminster Salmonbellies that had trap written all over it. It was almost just that, as it took Victoria the full five games to get past New West. The third chapter had the Shamrocks recapturing their footing in a four-game sweep of the Thunder in the league final.

 

Chapter four takes the Shamrocks out of league play to the Mann Cup national series, where they will attempt to win the WLA’s first Mann Cup on the road in nearly four decades.

 

“We are under no illusions,” said Welch. “The battles don’t get easier as you go along.”

 

https://www.timescol...ann-cup-9410272

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 24 August 2024 - 02:27 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Chiefs edged by Shamrocks in Mann Cup opener

Victoria wins Game 1 by a score of 9-8; Game 2 is Saturday

 

https://www.brantfor...mann-cup-opener

 

 

 

Marshal King led the Shamrocks with six goals in Game 1. The second game of the series is tonight at 4 p.m. PT, and the third and fourth games Monday and Tuesday at 5 p.m. PT. If required, the fifth game would be Wednesday, sixth game next Friday and seventh game next Saturday … The games are broadcast on cable Rogers TV. All highlights will be available on MSL YouTube. Watch parties are being held at Browns Social House in Langford.

 

https://www.timescol...protest-9488406

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 06 September 2024 - 09:26 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Six Nations beats Victoria to even Mann Cup

 

Chiefs beat Shamrocks 10-4, Game 3 is Monday

 

 

https://www.brantfor...o-even-mann-cup

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 08 September 2024 - 05:34 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

The Victoria Shamrocks won in the boardroom Monday but lost on the floor.

 

The Six Nations Chiefs, champions of Ontario’s Major Series Lacrosse, rallied to score the final five goals of the game to defeat the Western Lacrosse Association-champion Shamrocks 7-5 at Iroquois Lacrosse Arena on the Six Nations of the Grand River Reserve in Hagersville, Ont., to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Mann Cup national Senior A championship series.

 

The Chief are hosting all games in the series.

 

Victoria led 4-2 after the first period and 5-2 early in the second period before Six Nations tied the game 5-5 heading into the final period. Third-period goals by NLL Buffalo Bandits-pro and former Shamrocks forward Dhane Smith and another by Randy Staats won it for the Chiefs.

 

“We dust ourselves off and get back up,” said Victoria head coach Mike Simpson.

 

“Their two short-handed goals really stalled our momentum tonight. But we’ve shown we can run with these guys. We are right there, no question.”

 

 

 

https://www.timescol...ann-cup-9498225