The Armstrong Shamrocks hit double digits for the second straight game in a 13-4 Okanagan X-treme Lacrosse League victory over the Vernon Tigers Wednesday night at Nor-Val Sports Centre.
Junior call-up Milan Marcetta scored four times to earn first star as the Rocks went to 2-0. It was the Tigers’ season opener.
“It was a good win; we are getting better every game out,” said Shamrock captain Chad Pounder, who received a major and game ejection after mowing down goalie Glen Clissold midway through the third. “All our systems are coming together; our powerplay and short-man units were great tonight.”
Last year’s league scoring leader Shane Sargent placed a nice outside shot just off the post to give the Tigers an early lead.
That goal seemed to wake up the Rocks’ as they controlled the rest of the period with Marc Wagner, Marcetta and Steve Clark connecting.
The Tigers regrouped to start the second and were able to get back into the game with junior call-up Brennan Plante adding his first of two on the night, and Sargent equalizing on the power play midway through the second period.
The Shamrocks then took over the game, adding three goals to finish the frame with Pounder, Logan Strohm and Marcetta capitalizing.
Armstrong started the third period with a 5-on-3 powerplay and made the Tigers pay, opening with three goals by Clark, Marcetta, and Brett Heitman. The Rocks kept rolling with Heitman and Pounder finding net.
The Shamrocks then started to get into penalty trouble with some undisciplined play and the Tigers finally stopped the onslaught with Plante adding his second of the game on the powerplay. With the Rocks still shorthanded, Brent (Pez) Anderson scored his first of the year on a breakaway, and Marcetta added his fourth to round out the scoring.
Chad Pieper picked up the win and third-star honours, while Clissold took the loss.
“We came out with some nerves but we stuck with them for the first period and a half and then penalties killed us,” said Tigers’ veteran Steve Latimer, a coach pressed into service with three regulars missing.
“Tyler Plante played a pretty incredible game, and it was really nice of the juniors letting him come up.”
Next up for the Shamrocks is a trip to Kamloops next Friday night for a Shaw Cup rematch against the Rattlers. The Tigers visit the host Kelowna Raiders the same night.
