Saturday 7 January 2012

Preview: KEL at VIC

Jamie Crooks stopped by Adam Brown
Keith Hamilton stops Carter Rigby
Tonight the 8th place Royals (13-24-2-2) look to avenge last nights 5-2 loss to the 6th place Rockets (16-19-2-3) in Victoria.  Myles Bell had 2 goals and an assist and broke a 2-2 tie just a minute into the 3rd period for the eventual game winner.

Adam Brown turned aside 36 Victoria shots and all 16 in the third for his 14th win, while Keith Hamilton stopped 23.


Jamie Crooks had a goal and assist and named second star, while Kevin Sundher’s 2 helpers extended his point streak to 11 games, giving him 63 points on the year and 6th in league scoring.

Logan Nelson had an assist and leads all rookies in scoring with 40 points.

The Royals are now winless in 8, but drop only their 2nd in 6 games to the Rockets.  Victoria has out scored Kelowna 23-20 in the series.  After tonight they’ll square off for the eigth and final time in Kelowna on March 9th.

Victoria with 30 points is in the eighth and final playoff spot 2 points up on Prince George who have 2 in hand and lost 2-0 to Kamloops last night.  The Royals will face them 6 more times this season.  The Rockets remain in 6th with 37 points, 4 back of Spokane.

Kelowna has now won back to back games after dropping 3 straight.  They’re 3 under .500 on the road, but even against BC Division opponents.  Victoria slips to 2 under .500 at home.

Previous Meetings:
Kelowna 5 @ Victoria 2 (Jan 6)
Victoria 2 @ Kelowna 1 (Dec 2)
Victoria 5 @ Kelowna 6 (Nov 26)
Victoria 3 @ Kelowna 2 (Oct 22)
Kelowna 3 @ Victoria 4 (Oct 15) OT
Kelowna 5 @ Victoria 7 (Oct 14)

Leading Scorers:

Kelowna:
McColgan (11-29-40)
Bulmer (17-15-32)
Sissons (21-7-28)
Rigby (11-9-20)
Chikie (10-10-20)

Victoria:
Sundher (22-41-63)
Crooks (21-20-41)
Nelson (17-23-40)
Soudek (17-19-36)
Rintoul (10-20-30)

Last 5 Games
Kelowna:
5-2 W @ Victoria (Jan 6 2012)  
5-2 W vs Spokane (Jan 4 2012)  
2-0 L vs Calgary (Jan 1 2012)  
5-1 L @ Tri-City (Dec 29 2011)  
4-1 L vs Spokane (Dec 27 2011)  

Victoria:
5-2 L vs Kelowna (Jan 6 2012) 
9-4 L vs Calgary (Jan 3 2012) 
7-6 L @ Portland (Dec 30 2011) 
6-3 L @ Portland (Dec 28 2011) 
4-2 L @ Medicine Hat (Dec 17 2011)