Putting in a complete game contined to be a frustration for the struggling junior A Burnaby Lakers.
The last-place Lakers gave the visiting 8-3 Shamrocks a run for their money for the first two periods before eventually falling 16-9 to Victoria at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre on Sunday.
Burnaby played Victoria even through the opening 20 minutes, but looked like they might take an early shower after giving up fourstraight goals in a four-minute span to start the middle frame.
But Tyler Kirkby’s second goal of the game on a power play two minutes later sparked a Burnaby resurgence that brought the hosts back to within a goal of the ’Rocks.
Jordan Lashar, with his first tally of the year, and Mitch McDole, with his hat-trick marker kept the deficit to a pair of goals before Aidan Milburn sniped his league-leading 23rd goal of the season coming off the bench on a pass up floor from Lashar.
But the final period proved Burnaby’s undoing.
Victoria scored seven times, including Ryan Lewis’ second shorthanded goal of the game that ignited the Shamrocks’ runaway third period.
“We’re having a tough time putting in a 60-minute game,” said Lashar after the contest.
Earlier, Burnaby dropped an 11-9 decision to the Port Coquitlam Saints in a game that again came down to the final period.
Trailing by a similar 9-8 scoreline on Milburn’s power-play marker in the final minute of the second period, Burnaby gave up the first two goals of the final period, including the eventual game-winning tally by Greg Lunde, who led all scorers with three goals and six points.
McDole also led the Lakers in scoring in PoCo with two goals and two assists.
Milburn is currently in second place in B.C. Junior Lacrosse League scoring with 44 points, while Kirkby and Danny Spagnuolo are tied with 10 goals and 19 assists apiece.
“The amount of talent on this team is oozing. We have a lot of talent. But the league is so close you have to put in a full game effort – no shortcuts,” Lashar said.
The final year 21-year-old added it’s up to the senior players like himself to play up to the standard the club expects from them.
It’s all about building on last year’s encouraging 5-15-1 record and putting the Laker franchise back on a winning footing, Lashar said.
“It’s finding that way for the club to progress to the next level,” he said.
The junior Lakers played New Westminster at Queen’s Park tonight (Tuesday).
Burnaby will be back at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre next Sunday (June 7) against the PoCo Saints, beginning at 7 p.m.
