1. Victoria Shamrocks (1)
Record: 12-3-0 Goal Differential: +81
Last Week: 13-11 L vs. Coquitlam, 13-10 W vs. Nanaimo
This Week: at New Westminster, vs. Burnaby
Victoria were outhustled and outplayed by Coquitlam last Friday night and deservedly took the loss, just their third this year. Although they still have a three game lead on New West for the WLA regular season championship, it was an example of the parity the WLA has this year. Even the Shamrocks aren’t immune from a letdown, but it’s the first that’s cost them since the start of the year.
I’m sure Victoria doesn’t see this as any more than a blip on the radar. Consider the fact that key players like Dan Dawson and Aaron Bold have only played in a handful of games, and the apparent impact they’ve had when they are in the roster. It adds another dimension to a Victoria that’s hard to beat as it is. I wonder if a team will take a different approach to how they play Victoria. With a strong transition game, something that’s sorely lacked in the NLL game, teams could run and gun with Victoria, provided they had the firepower to keep pace.
2. Maple Ridge Burrards (2)
Record: 7-7-0 Goal Differential: +5
Last Week: 11-6 W vs. Coquitlam
This Week: at Nanaimo, vs. New Westminster
The WLA’s hottest team and winners of five in a row (if you care about technicalities or not), the Burrards are playing the best ball of the season. The more surprising thing? They’ve done it with Frank Scigliano missing a few games. It shows the depth Maple Ridge has built through the tough years, and now they can compete with a stable of quality lacrosse talent.
They are neck and neck with New West, and it will be really interesting if they do end up 2-3 in the standings, which is arguably the most logical situation at this point. They get Riley Loewen in the lineup again, and Mike Mallory has been great after missing a few games at points during the season.
The defence was able to step up and meet the challenge of Coquitlam’s red hot offence, which had 28 goals in the two games prior. Carson Michaud is proving to be one of the better backup’s in the league, filling in well for Scigliano.
3. New Westminster Salmonbellies (3)
Record: 8-6-0 Goal Differential: +5
Last Week: 8-7 W vs. Langley
Next Week: vs. Coquitlam, at Maple Ridge, vs. Victoria
If the official ruling didn’t leave the Salmonbellies without two points from their 12-11 win over Maple Ridge, that Victoria loss to Coquitlam would be a little more important. Instead, New West’s command of the standings has been chipped away at by the likes of Ridge and Langley. Getting back in the win column last night in Langley gives them a little more momentum as they head into the final stretch of the season.
4. Coquitlam Adanacs (6)
Record: 6-7-0 Goal Differential: -12
Last Week: 13-11 W vs. Victoria, 15-6 W vs. Nanaimo, 11-6 L vs. Maple Ridge
Next Week: at New Westminster, vs. Burnaby
Coquitlam’s surprise win over Victoria preceded the second half of an Island back-to-back, a game in which they dominated Nanaimo to the tune of 15-6. That game was a coming out party of sorts for Matthew Dinsdale, who had five goals and was ILWT’s 1st Star this week. He already has 11 goals in four games, and may be the missing piece Coquitlam needs to consistently get to 10 goals and above.
In goal, Dan Lewis and Adam Shute continue to play well, with Lewis stopping 50 shots in the big win over the Shamrocks.
5. Langley Thunder (5)
Record: 7-7-0 Goal Differential: -4
Last Week: 8-7 L vs. New Westminster
This Week: vs. Nanaimo
Langley’s struggles with winning consistently will again be looming over their head as Nanaimo comes to town next weekend. The Thunder have won two of their last five, and both of them were against Nanaimo, the second win coming through an overtime period.
Individually, guys like Pat Saunders and Alex Turner are quietly having good seasons for Langley. It will be interesting to see how Brodie McDonald plays in these next few games, where Langley plays Coquitlam and Victoria after Nanaimo. He’s played the majority of the minutes, missing just 140 minutes of game action, but he has the third lowest save percentage among eligible goalies with a .783. McDonald also has allowed the most goals by far, allowing 22 more than Nanaimo’s Zak Boychuk.
6. Burnaby Lakers (4)
Record: 6-6-0 Goal Differential: -16
Last Week: None
This Week: vs. Nanaimo, at Coquitlam, at Victoria
The Lakers were inactive last week and have lost two of three, but also have a good chance to get back on track against the Timbermen tomorrow night at The Swamp.
7. Nanaimo Timbermen (7)
Record: 2-11-0 Goal Differential: -39
Last Week: 15-6 L vs. Coquitlam, 13-10 L vs. Victoria
This Week: at Burnaby, vs. Maple Ridge, at Langley
The woes continued for Nanaimo as they were thrashed by the A’s before dropping a close game to Victoria, a game that was broadcast on Shaw TV locally. A slow first period that saw the Rocks jump ahead 5-0 in the first six minutes took the T-Men out of the game before they scraped together a good final 40 minutes.
There might be some games down the stretch for contending teams that are definitive trap games, given Nanaimo’s talent level and drive. It’d be tough to see a group of players all but give up on the season – that just doesn’t happen. Zak Boychuk has shown he can be a strong goalie and have great games, and though that might not be night in and night out, it could be enough for Nanaimo to spoil someone’s playoff riches late in the season.
A couple wins here and there won’t make much of a difference for Nanaimo, who have surely locked in the number one overall selection in next year’s WLA Draft.
