The Victoria Shamrocks, who were unprecedented in going undefeated in the Western Lacrosse Association regular season, will need to conjure up an equivalent of that form once again.
The WLA-champion Shamrocks have no losses left to give in the post-season and need to win out three games in order to capture the Mann Cup national Senior A championship after falling behind 3-1 to the defending-champion Six Nations Chiefs in the best-of-seven series.
The Chiefs, champions of Ontario’s Major Series Lacrosse, defeated Victoria 12-9 on Tuesday in the fourth game at Iroquois Lacrosse Arena on the Six Nations of the Grand River Reserve in Hagersville, Ont., where all the games in the series are being played.
“The fourth win is always the hardest to get and the pressure is all on them [Chiefs]. They are up against a young, desperate team with nothing to lose,” said Shamrocks general manager Chris Welch.
For the second time in as many games, Victoria led 5-2 in the second period only to see the Chiefs rally for victory, as they did also in Monday’s 7-5 win in Game 3 with five unanswered goals. Victoria’s Game 4 collapse Tuesday was highlighted by a middle period in which the Shamrocks were outscored 8-1. Winning the first and third periods was simply not enough for Victoria to overcome that disastrous second period.
“We came out on fire and then the wheels came off and we started running around and panicking,” said Welch.
“Their [Chiefs’] experience showed through. Whether they are down by three goals or ahead by three goals, they play the same way. They play a consistent game. They keep coming, regardless of the score.”
Travis Longboat led Six Nations with a hat trick on a six-point night. Veteran sniper Jesse King led Victoria as the former Claremont Secondary Spartans and NCAA Big Ten Ohio State Buckeyes star had a goal and five assists. Claremont graduate and NCAA Final Four player Casey Wilson from the University of Denver Pioneers had two goals and three assists and Will Malcom five assists for the Shamrocks.
Both teams were missing key players Tuesday night. Six Nations scoring stars Cody Jamieson and Randy Staats were held out by the Chiefs, reportedly to rest them during a stretch in the series in which three games are being played in three nights.
“They [Six Nations] didn’t miss a beat with those guys out of the lineup,” noted Welch.
“Their elite skill and depth showed through.”
The Shamrocks were without standout offensive threat Marshal King, who is out for the series after a slash to the hand by Six Nations defenceman and former Shamrocks stalwart Steve Priolo in the third period of Game 3 on Monday. The fact no penalty was called on the play left Welch incensed. King had seven goals in three games.
Ontario has dominated the Mann Cup, winning 15 of 16 national championships since 2006 (2020 and 2021 were cancelled due to the pandemic). To make the situation even more daunting for the Shamrocks is that no WLA team has won the Mann Cup on the road since the Salmonbellies in 1986 at Whitby, Ont., a drought on the verge of reaching 39 years.
The fifth game is tonight at 5 p.m. PT. If required, the sixth game is Friday and seventh game Saturday. The games in the series are broadcast on cable on Rogers TV. Watch parties are being held at Browns Social House in Langford.
