The Nanaimo Timbermen beat the Victoria Shamrocks in the latest Island rivalry lacrosse matchup.
The senior A T-men (6-5) defeated the Shamrocks (6-2) by a 13-11 score Friday, June 30, at Frank Crane Arena.
Nanaimo led after the first and second periods, and although Victoria tied things up early in the third period, the Timbermen shut the door the rest of the way, scored a game-winning goal and an insurance marker midway through the third, and secured the win.
Tewanee Joseph, Nanaimo coach, called the win a “big step” for his team.
“There’s a certain rhythm that our boys planned tonight that was important, and when you have it and you feel it, that’s what it was all about tonight,” he said.
He said the Timbermen played a fast-moving game and played together in all phases. With solid goaltending and a defence that was dictating the pace, the offence fed off of that, he said.
“Everything is connected in so many different ways and I think that’s what we’re finding now is guys are finding rhythm, connecting more,” Joseph said. “They’re not even having to look and that pass will be there. Those kinds of things are really starting to happen for us.”
The favoured Shamrocks seemed to have momentum heading into the third period, but Joseph said the T-men kept coming back to the process and it worked.
Taggart Clark, Timbermen forward, said his team did a better job playing its game than in a match a week prior in Victoria, and more shots were going in.
“We were just playing simple, playing our game, wearing their defence down, swinging the ball across a couple times and it paid off in the end,” Clark said.
He and Colton Lidstone each had four goals and two assists and Jon Phillips had four assists. Zach Manns scored the game-winning goal. Devlin Shanahan made 39 saves as his team was outshot 50-45.
For the Shamrocks, Marshal King had four goals and an assist and Jesse King had a goal and three assists.
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Here's some of the action from last night's terrific Island rivalry WLA lacrosse game between the Nanaimo Timbermen and the Victoria Shamrocks.
— Greg Sakaki (@BulletinSports) July 1, 2022
(📷GregSakaki/NewsBulletin)#lacrosse pic.twitter.com/UuBe5Hu0K5
Clark said “something’s a little different in the air” when the Timbermen face the Shamrocks and Joseph said lacrosse is “incredible” on Vancouver Island.
“Their fans are just as supportive as our fans here in Nanaimo, so I love being out here and being able to compete with one another,” he said. “That’s the best part about it. We’re playing the Creator’s game in the best way.”
GAME ON … The Timbermen visit the Burnaby Lakers on Friday, July 8, then host the Maple Ridge Burrards on Sunday, July 10, at 7 p.m. at Frank Crane Arena.
The Nanaimo Timbermen beat the Victoria Shamrocks 13-11 in WLA action tonight. Good crowd, good lacrosse, fun atmosphere at Frank Crane Arena tonight… #WLA #lacrosse pic.twitter.com/MUHGfIXbgC
— Greg Sakaki (@BulletinSports) July 1, 2022
editor@nanaimobulletin.com
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