Tonight in the WLA the Burnaby Lakers (1-3) host the Victoria Shamrocks (3-1). The Lakers are coming off their first win of the season over the Langley Thunder. The Shamrocks on the other hand are coming off their first loss of the season as the lost to the Maple Ridge Burrards earlier this week.
These two teams have already met once this season and the Shamrocks laid a beating on the Lakers 14-8. The Shamrocks will look to repeat this performance and bounce back from their first loss. In their last meeting three different Shamrocks players notched eight points each. The Lakers will need to step up their game against the Shamrocks if they want to leave with a win.
The Lakers against the Shamrocks first and foremost need to play solid defense. The Lakers cannot allow the Shamrocks to spread the ball around like they did in the last game and need to force the Shamrocks to settle for outside shots. The Lakers will also want to be better on the power play as they went 3 for 7 in their last meeting with the Shamrocks and will need to capitalize on these opportunities. The Lakers were able to beat Langley due to the fact they were able to build an early lead and forced Langley to work from behind they will want to do the same against the Shamrocks. The Lakers have benefitted from the return of Scott Jones as he has six points in two games this season and has provided a much needed boost to the Lakers offense.
The Shamrocks against the Lakers will want to do what they do best and use all their offensive depth. The Shamrocks if they can spread the ball will be able to break down Burnaby’s defense and build an early lead and break Dan Lewis early and force him from the net. The Shamrocks will be motivated to get the victory tonight as they want to reestablish themselves as the top team in the WLA. The Shamrocks have all the tools to beat the Lakers. Expect the Shamrocks trio of Scott Ranger, Cory Conway and Corey Small to have a huge nights against the Lakers and show off why they are three of the best offensive players in the league.
In the end the Shamrocks will once again dominate the Lakers on the way to solidifying their place atop the WLA standings.
