Game 3 of the WLA Finals between the Coquitlam Adanacs and the Victoria Shamrocks took place Wednesday night in front of 2,570 fans at The Q Centre in Victoria. With the best-of-seven series tied at 1-1, and neither team reaching double-digits in goals, a win would be crucial towards advancing to the Mann Cup. After nearly 50 minutes going goal-for-goal, Adam Noakes would break a 4-4 tie, and goaltender Christian Del Bianco would shut down the Shamrocks the rest of the way, giving the Adanacs a 5-4 win on the road and a 2-1 series lead.
Adanacs take 2-1 series lead – are they now favored to win the WLA?
The Shamrocks took the early lead when Brodie Wade found the back of the net at 2:15 of the first period. Thomas Semple leveled the game just over a minute later (3:23), but Patrick Dodds (8:28) would restore a one-goal lead for Victoria after 20 minutes of play. Noakes opened the second period with an early goal (0:30) to tie the game 2-2. Zach Manns (5:54 power play) and Kean Moon (7:53 power play) traded goals to keep the score tied before Denton MacDonald (11:54) gave the Shamrocks a 4-3 lead. Jalen Chaster responded for Coquitlam (13:18) to tie the game once more at 4-4 as the second period ended.
After nearly ten minutes of scoreless action in the third period, Noakes netted his second goal of the game (9:50) for a 5-4 Coquitlam lead. Adanacs goaltender Christian Del Bianco shut the door on Victoria the rest of the way, making 55 total saves and earning 1st Star of the Game. Shamrocks goaltender Chris Origlieri was also stellar in net despite the loss, turning aside 34 of 39 shots by the Adanacs as the 2nd Star of the Game. Noakes took home 3rd Star honors with his two-goal performance.
Victoria outshot Coquitlam 59-39 but could not find an equalizing goal in the third period. Marshal King, the WLA’s third leading scorer, had just one assist on the night. Game 4 will be Friday night at the Poirier Sports Complex in Coquitlam, where the Adanacs can potentially take a commanding 3-1 series lead.
