Maple Ridge Burrards sniper Ben McIntosh had scored a hat trick before 10 minutes had expired in Tuesday night’s game three of the WLA championship series, leading his team to a 9-7 win over the Victoria Shamrocks.
The Shamrocks couldn’t score in the first period, and the Burrards went into the first break with a 3-0 lead in Victoria.
McIntosh finished with three goals and six points. Curtis Dickson scored five goals, including two on the power play, and was named the game’s first star.
“We were in control the whole game,” said Burrards GM Lance Andre.
He said his team stumbled in the first game of the series, but “the mojo is back now.”
“You couldn’t hold Ben McIntosh back for long, and then Dickson went out and scored five.”
Jean-Luc Chetner had a goal and three assists, while Mike Mallory and Dan Taylor both had three assists.
The Burrards held a 7-2 lead at one point late in the second period, but Victoria cut the lead with four straight goals to keep it interesting.
Frank Scigliano made 38 saves on 45 shots, and was the game’s second star.
The Burrards chased Victoria goalie Adam Shute after he gave up his fifth goal of the game, and backup Cody Hagedorn took over.
Andre said it may have helped that the coaching staff took the team to school on the Victoria goaltenders,
“They’re smart lacrosse players, and they watched film all the way to Victoria,” said Andre.
Maple Ridge outshot Victoria 48-45 in the game, with Dickson taking 14.
Victoria has held an edge in special teams play, and on Tuesday their power play went 2-4, while their penalty kill got three shorthanded goals on the Burrards’ seven power plays. The Burrards only scored twice with the man advantage. The shorthanded goals marred an otherwise great performance.
Andre said the Burrards power play personnel probably tried to strip the ball from Shamrocks when they should have backed up and played defence, but added “those are little mental mistakes we can correct.”
Maple Ridge’s own Anthony Kalinich, who got in the Burrards roster through affiliation with the Langley Thunder BCJALL team, has been taking a regular shift with the Burrards, and Andre called the defender “a welcome addition” and “a difference maker.”
Kalinich plays for the NLL Calgary Roughnecks, but will not be eligible for the WLA draft for two seasons, after he is done his junior career.
Another Burrard from Maple Ridge is Mitch McDole, who has also played a role with his hometown team in the playoffs.
Game four is scheduled for Cam Neely Arena in Maple Ridge on Thursday night at 6:30 p.m.
Game 5 will be at the Q Centre on Saturday night.