The Burnaby Lakers looked good in their new gold-trimmed home white jerseys, but the Victoria Shamrocks proved a little better on the scoresheet.
The Shamrocks, last year's league runner-up, led the scoring in all three periods to post an 11-7 victory over the Lakers in the Western Lacrosse
Association opener at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre on Friday.
Burnaby's only lead in the team's home opener came early in the first period on back-to-back markers a minute apart from Laker game star Matt Quinton, including the go-ahead score on a power play.
Victoria's Jeff Shattler, who had a pro career-high 34 goals with the NLL Calgary Roughnecks last season, was the game's first star with a four-point outing.
Burnaby's Scott Tinning reduced the firstperiod deficit to 4-3, capitalizing on a rebound by Matt Flindell, who made 43 saves to register the win.
Former Burnaby junior Brock Armour sparked a Victoria goal flurry to start the middle frame, scoring on Laker starter Joe Bell while shorthanded.
Shattler then potted a pair of goals, including the 7-3 counter in close quarters on a nifty pass from Curtis Morwick.
Burnaby finally found a ball past Flindell late in the period by Colton Clark on a four-on-four transition play with Matt Beers, who registered his first point in his first game as a Laker after going No. 1 overall to Burnaby in the 2011 draft.
"We had a lot of good things going, but we just have to work on a few things and that's going to come in time," said Beers.
A minute later, Dane Stevens also solved the Flindell riddle to keep the score close 7-5 heading into the final frame. The Lakers came out in the third period and tied the contest 7-7 on goals by Shaun Dhaliwal and Mike Brascia.
But Victoria quickly countered with four unanswered counters as the Shamrocks exploited the Lakers' on-floor weaknesses.
"We have to hone up our defensive systems, - and we flogged a lot of shots on offence. - But we made him (Flindell) look good tonight," said Beers. "We have to get inside and get some good looks."
The Lakers will vacate the Copeland centre for a week while high school graduations take over the floor. Burnaby will be back at home on June 1 to host last year's league champion New Westminster Salmonbellies.
Tonight (Wednesday), Burnaby is in Langley to take on the 2011 Mann Cup finalist Thunder.
