Saints Show Late Spark but Fall Short in Victoria

July 11, 2026

Every season has one of those nights — the kind where a team spends forty minutes searching for itself and ten minutes proving exactly who it really is. For the Port Coquitlam Saints, Saturday in Victoria became that kind of story. A slow start, a bruising middle frame, and then a furious, defiant third period that reminded everyone why this group has been one of the league’s most entertaining teams to follow.

What it didn’t become, unfortunately, was a comeback. The Saints dropped an 8–6 decision to the Shamrocks at the Q Centre on July 11, but the final score only tells part of the tale.

For thirteen minutes, Ashton Brown looked every bit the composed, steady presence Saints fans have come to trust. He turned aside everything Victoria threw at him, controlling rebounds, reading shooters, and keeping the building quiet.

Then the dam cracked.

A quick Shamrocks goal opened the scoring, and before the Saints could settle, Victoria piled on two more — then scoring two more on the powerplay — to surge ahead 5–0. It was a stunning swing, the kind that leaves a bench staring at the scoreboard wondering how it happened so fast.

Lincoln Wall, never one to let a period die quietly, gave Poco a jolt of life with a crease dive in the final minute. It didn’t erase the deficit, but it changed the temperature on the floor.

If the Saints hoped Wall’s goal would spark a turnaround, the second period didn’t cooperate. Victoria tightened their defensive structure, clogging lanes and forcing Poco’s offence into low‑percentage looks. The Saints managed only eight shots in the frame, and the Shamrocks added three more goals to stretch the lead to 8–1.

Waukiigan Shognosh stepped in to relieve Brown, and the tone of the game shifted. Shognosh was calm, sharp, and instantly impactful and giving the Saints a chance to breathe again. His presence didn’t just stop the bleeding; it stitched the wound shut.

Down seven goals, some teams fold. The Saints did the opposite.

Victoria grew sloppy and undisciplined, and Poco pounced. The Saints’ powerplay erupted for five goals in the third period alone, moving the ball crisply and finishing with conviction.

Wall completed his hat trick, hammering home the kind of determined, blue‑collar goals that define his game. The Saints played with pace, bite, and a level of urgency that made you wonder what might have happened with just a few more minutes on the clock.

Shognosh, meanwhile, was sensational. He finished the night with a .964 save percentage, turning aside nearly everything Victoria threw at him and giving the Saints a legitimate chance to claw back.

The comeback fell short, but the fight was unmistakable.

The third period. Poco’s special teams took over, punishing Victoria’s mistakes and reminding the league that the Saints’ powerplay can flip momentum in seconds. Five goals with the man advantage is rare at any level — and it nearly dragged the Saints back from the brink.

Your final score - Port Coquitlam Saints 6Victoria Shamrocks 8

The Saints stay on the road for the final stretch of the regular season:

• Tuesday, July 14 — at New Westminster
• Thursday, July 16 — at Langley

Two games. Two tough buildings. Two chances to finish the season with authority.

Team Stats – Season Leaders

• Loose Balls: Luke Neary
• Caused Turnovers: Nolan Ross
• Turnovers: Josh Mills
• Blocked Shots: Levi Touhey