1. Matthew Dinsdale, Coquitlam Adanacs
Given an expanded role upon his return to the Coquitlam lineup, Matthew Dinsdale has seized his opportunity, almost matching his 2014 goal total (13) with 11 in four games.
After torching Victoria for a hat-trick and three assists, Dinsdale got into a groove in their 15-6 win over Nanaimo, scoring five goals. His presence was missed in a crucial game Tuesday night, one in which Coquitlam never quite got into a groove, scoring just two third period goals. He’s a part of the youth movement in Coquitlam that is starting to reap the benefits of seeing a lot of game time.
As mentioned, Dinsdale is taking advantage of being a cornerstone of the offence. Given Dinsdale’s offensive production with Coquitlam in Junior A—a combined 387 points (145 goals, 242 assists) in 101 games—we can expect him to continue to fill the need, something the A’s will need if they want to make the playoffs.
- Athan Iannucci, Langley Thunder
Iannucci has been a consistent performer in the boxla game for years, so it’s no surprise that the vet is having an excellent campaign.
His best performance might have come in their key overtime victory against the Timbermen. He potted three goals and had a pair of assists, but two of those goals were the only ones in the overtime period of the 13-11 win. He and Patrick Saunders have made some noise in the WLA points race; Saunders leads all non-Victoria players with 54 points while Iannucci has 47.
- Rhys Duch, Victoria Shamrocks
I’ve mentioned before that it’s crazy Duch hasn’t been on this list this season, but it’s representative of Duch as a lacrosse player. It’s also an example of the talent, skill and depth Victoria possesses on both sides of the ball. He doesn’t have to create a lot of hype to go about his business, which currently includes a league-leading 27 goals.
He was solid in a win and a loss this week for the Shamrocks, scoring nine points behind five goals and four assists. He continues to go under the radar and has become a much more explosive overall threat over the last calendar year with 35 assists. Shamrock and Stealth fans alike will like the balance of Duchie’s stat line, where he’s on par to surpass his WLA career season assists total.
