IL Indoor

CLA, IL Indoor, Inside Lacrosse, Off the Rug, Road to the Mann Cup, Senior A, The Ballers, The Life, Victoria Shamrocks, WLA

Shamrocks add more local fire power with addition of Rhys Duch

The Victoria Shamrocks are very pleased to announce the return of Rhys Duch for the 2013 Western Lacrosse Association season. The 26 year-old Victoria native is coming off a career year in the National Lacrosse League in which he earned All-Pro First Team honours after scoring in every game to lead the NLL with 45 goals, finishing third in leagues scoring with 96 points and leading his Washington Stealth team to the championship final. In his previous four seasons with the Shamrocks between 2008 and 2011, Duch appeared in 76 regular season and playoff games in which he scored 152 goals and added 171 assists for 323 points. He is a three-time WLA all-star including two First Team honours in 2010 and 2011. Last summer he played for the Six Nations Chiefs in Ontario. READ MORE »

IL Indoor, Inside Lacrosse, National Lacrosse League, Rochester Knighthawks, The Ballers, The Buzz, The Life, Washington Stealth

It’s the Champion’s Cup edition of the Off the Crossebar Podcast

We’re a few hours away from crowning a 2013 Champion’s Cup winner and it couldn’t be any closer of a matchup between the Rochester Knighthawks and the Washington Stealth. It’s a rare full circle meeting as these two teams squared off in the season opener (a 13-12 win for the Stealth) and will now cap one of the best National Lacrosse League seasons in recent memory.

This week on the Off the Crossebar Podcast , we talked to the two head coaches who will be dueling in the mental chess match in hopes of doing all the right things in leading their team to the holy grail of professional lacrosse. Mike Hasen is looking for his second league title in as many years while Chris Hall is looking to add his third championship as the Stealth make their third trip in four years. Both men are incredible lacrosse minds and are very focused on the task at hand but both are quick to tip their hats to the other team on their successes. READ MORE »

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Shamrocks acquire western rights to Rory Smith but he won’t report in 2013

The Victoria Shamrocks have acquired Rory Smith's WLA rights from New Westminster. (Photo: Larry Palumbo)

The Victoria Shamrocks are pleased to announce they have acquired the WLA playing rights to Rory Smith and a 2nd round pick in the 2014 WLA Draft from the New Westminster Salmonbellies in exchange for the WLA playing rights to Chet Koneczny and a conditional 1st round pick in the 2016 WLA Draft. If Smith, who is committed to the Six Nations Chiefs in Ontario for the 2013 season, plays in the WLA in 2014 or 2015, New Westminster will receive the 1^st round draft pick. If he does not, then the Shamrocks retain the pick and Smith’s rights revert back to the Salmonbellies in 2016.

“This deal is made with the future I mind,” said Shamrocks general manager Chris Welch. “We believe Rory is interested in returning to the WLA next year so we made sure that if he does, he’ll be in green and white.  We’re very familiar with how difficult is to play against him so we’re hoping we can get him on our side.” READ MORE »

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The Victoria Shamrocks continue to beef up roster heading into the 2013 WLA season

Cory Conway returns to the Shamrocks. (Photo: Dan Brodie)

A few weeks ago, the Victoria Shamrocks added one of the game’s best goalies. A couple months ago, they added one of the game’s most underrated scorers. Well today, the Rocks have added some more scoring depth with the acquisition of local Victoria product Cory Conway in a trade with the Nanaimo Timbermen for future draft picks. This is just another move by GM Chris Welch in hopes of returning the Shamrocks to the Mann Cup for the first time since 2006. Conway last wore the clover back in junior lacrosse where he racked up 163 pts in 43 games and was highly coveted by many senior teams for his size, speed and creativity. His first three seasons were spent with the Coquitlam Adanacs and the 6′2 right-hander put up 220 points, including a 92-point season in 2010. READ MORE »

CLA, IL Indoor, Inside Lacrosse, Road to the Mann Cup, Senior A, The Ballers, Victoria Shamrocks

Victoria Shamrocks continue to bolster their 2013 roster by adding goaltender Matt Vinc

Matt Vinc

It’s safe to say that the Western Lacrosse Association’s Victoria Shamrocks have been the busiest Sr. A team this offseason and today they continue that trend by adding one of the game’s best goalies to their 2013 roster. Coming off a National Lacrosse League Champion’s Cup run with the Rochester Knighthawks, Matt Vinc has been at the top of the lacrosse world for the past few years and at just 30 years old, he has plenty of great years ahead of him.

For Victoria, the addition of Vinc gives it some stability in between the pipes they haven’t had since Anthony Cosmo left after the 2006 season, the last year the Shammies were in the Mann Cup finals. Since then, they have run through Nick Patterson, Aaron Bold, Chris Levis and Matt Flindell, who are all very talented goalies in their own right but were just unable to get the job done. READ MORE »

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Breaking: Casey Powell traded to Colorado for Jon Sullivan and a 3rd round pick

Casey Powell is headed to Denver. (Photo: Larry Palumbo)

IL Indoor has learned from numerous sources–including Casey Powell himself–that he has been traded to the Colorado Mammoth in exchange for rugged veteran defender Jon Sullivan as well as a third round entry draft pick.

Powell, speaking from his home in Florida, confirmed the trade this evening and was quick to point out that he is excited to be reunited with his former coach and current Mammoth assistant bench boss, Ed Comeau. The two were together back during the New York/Orlando Titans days and it was during those days that Powell elevated his game. In 2010, while playing the one and only season in Orlando, Powell racked up 80 points as he became the first ever American to be named NLL MVP. READ MORE »

2011 World Indoor Lacrosse Championship, B.C. Junior A, CLA, Futures Report, IL Indoor, Inside Lacrosse, International, National Lacrosse League, Off the Rug, Road to the Minto Cup, Rookie Report, The Ballers, The Buzz, The Life, Victoria Shamrocks

Did the Jr. Shamrocks just open European pipeline in signing Czech young gun Pesek?

Dominik Pesek about to, as Patrick Merrill puts it, 'Run right by me' during a friendly before the 2011 World Championships.

Quick: when I say “Czech Republic” what sport do you think of? OK, step out the lacrosse box for a minute and take an unbiased stance. Most people will automatically think hockey, soccer or even tennis as the dominant sports, producing names such as Dominik Hasek, Jaromir Jagr, Peter Nedved, Martina Navratilova, Ivan Lendl. Well, while he may not be in the upper echelon of Czech athletes, one name lacrosse fans can start to get used to is the newest member of the Victoria Jr Shamrocks: Dominik Pesek. READ MORE »

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Nanaimo Timbermen announce Kaleb Toth as new head coach for 2013 WLA season

A few weeks ago, TMen play-by-play broadcaster Dom Abassi tweeted something akin to ‘I can’t wait to see what the new TMen coach brings to the table’, and immediately the wheels of the lacrosse world started spinning. Who in the lacrosse world could have such a dramatic effect on a team and organization that it would cause an experienced broadcaster to ponder his worth…

Well, today the Coast Windows Timbermen have announced the man that will take over for Hall of Famer Art Webster behind the bench for the 2013 season and it’s a name pretty much everyone in the lacrosse world is familiar with: Kaleb Toth. The new bench boss will bring a fiery passion, incredible work ethic and a winning pedigree that will have the players constantly striving to be better. READ MORE »

IL Indoor, Inside Lacrosse, National Lacrosse League, The Ballers, Washington Stealth

Matt Roik re-signs in Washington

Matt Roik signs with the Stealth (Photo by NLL)

To make room for Roik, Washington has released goalkeeper Nick Patterson.

In his 12th NLL season, the 34-year-old Dunnville, Ontario native is a two-time NLL All-Star and has a career 12.32 Goals Against Average.

In seven games with the Colorado Mammoth this season Roik compiled a 2-2 record.  Since breaking into the league in 2002 with the former New Jersey Storm he is 47-51.

“We’re always trying to better our position as we make a drive to the playoffs,” said Stealth Coach Chris Hall who platooned Roik with Tyler Richards during the 2010 and 2011 seasons where Washington made back-to-back appearances in the NLL championship game. READ MORE »

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Scott Ranger traded to the Victoria Shamrocks for Emms, Dexter and picks

Scott Ranger has led the WLA in goals and points each of the last two summers. (Photo: Dan Brodie)

While the National Lacrosse League season heats up, teams in Canada are preparing for the summer loop and the Victoria Shamrocks are looking to make some noise as they hope to host the 2013 Mann Cup. WLA Commissioner Casey Cook has confirmed that the Shamrocks have completed a trade with the Nanaimo Timbermen for two time WLA Scoring champ Scott Ranger. In exchange for the high scoring right-hander, the Shamrocks will send the Timbermen the playing rights to Kyle Dexter and Jake Emms as well as two second round conditional draft picks (one of those picks will become a first round pick, if the Rocks are able to get to the Mann Cup). READ MORE »