Shamrocks lead semifinal series

The Montreal Shamrocks, a Quebec junior B lacrosse team that played all its regular season games at the Dorval Arena and whose roster includes several recognizable West Island athletes, finds itself ahead 1-0 in games in its best of three semifinal playoff series against the Windsor Eagles.

Jason Gélinas led the way on Monday night in Windsor with two goals and two assists as the Shamrocks registered a 5-2 victory. Philippe Beaulne added a goal and two assists, while Marc-André Couturier picked up a goal and an assist. Andrew MacKay had two assists.

Coming off a 2-0 sweep in its best of three quarter-final series against Laval, the Shamrocks can advance to the final with a win tonight in game two against the Eagles at the Khanawake Sports Complex.

If they do succeed in advancing to the league final, head coach Peter Lehmann’s Shamrocks will attempt to earn the right to represent Quebec at next month’s junior B national championships, a tournament called the Founders Cup.

Lachine resident Peter Smith has come a long way since being named head coach of a struggling McGill Martlets women’s hockey program in the spring of 1999. Up until that point, Smith had served as head coach of the West Island Blues, an U-21 women’s AA team that he helped organize in 1994. He coached there for four seasons, winning regional championships in 1997 and 1998. During that time, Smith also directed the Lac St-Louis U-16 girls regional team at the provincial championships. Since being named Martlets head coach, Smith helped turn the program around, building it into a national powerhouse. Last season, he guided the Martlets to its first-ever national championship. Hockey Canada has recognized Smith’s accomplishments, and last week named him as an assistant coach for the women’s team set to compete at the 2010 winter Olympics in Vancouver. Smith will serve as an assistant along with former Vancouver Canucks defenceman Doug Lidster under head coach Melody Davidson.