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| Credit: Katie Brickman |
The Victoria Royals were shut out for the first time this season, as Shawnigan Lake product Cam Braes goal and assist gave the Warriors a 2-0 win in Moose Jaw Wednesday night.
Spencer Tremblay earned his first career shutout with 23 saves, while Keith Hamilton earned 3rd star honours with 27 stops.
Moose Jaw’s trade deadline acquisitions did the scoring as James Henry’s first period power play goal stood as the winner. Braes scored his 52 point of the season at the 5:20 mark of the third, ultimately giving the second place Warriors 19 home wins.
The Royals were unable to capitalize on 4 power plays, including a full 5 minutes that carried over into the third.
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| Henry's 1st period goal stood as the winner |
It was a physical affair in Victoria’s first visit to Mosaic Place, losing 3 players throughout the contest. Dylan McIlrath got 5 and a game for a check to the head of Jesse Zgraggen, who left on his own but would not return.
“It was probably the most physical game of the year for sure, it was intense, it was nasty, especially in the first period…our young guys, a lot of them had never seen that at this level before…I didn’t think we responded real good in the first period to it, we were real tenative and shy and short sticks and light sticks and after that we seemed to get better as the game went along, and then we started to play.” said Habscheid.
Tim Traber’s night ended in the second, after his eye was swollen shut from a fight with Dallas Ehrhardt. Moments earlier, he laid out 6’6 Cody Beach for the hit of the night. Defenseman Zach Habscheid left in the first after taking a hard hit from Quiton Howden.
Victoria outshot Moose Jaw 11-5 in the second and also held the opposition to just 2 goals.
Habscheid reflected on the positives, “We’re getting there, I like the way our team is evolving. I don’t like the losses no one should like the losses…but we’re a young group and I like the fact that tonight they played against a good team, an older team and a big rough, physical, vicious team…after the first I thought they responded pretty well…the greatest teacher is experience and we got more experience tonight.”
The Royals are 1-3 on the eastern road swing, with their next stop in Prince Albert Friday and then in Saskatoon Saturday before heading home.
Listen to Head Coach & GM Marc Habscheid's comments:
Victoria Royals 0 at Moose Jaw Warriors 2 - Status: Final
Wednesday, January 18, 2012 - Mosaic Place - Moose Jaw, SK
Victoria 0 0 0 - 0
Moose Jaw 1 0 1 - 2
1st Period-
1, Moose Jaw, Henry 8 (Braes, Howden), 9:20 (PP).
Penalties-Traber Vic (checking to the head), 7:12; Beach M.j (roughing), 7:12; Nelson Vic (slashing), 8:27; Miller M.j (roughing), 9:30; Howden M.j (boarding), 16:24.
2nd Period-
No Scoring.
Penalties-Traber Vic (major-fighting), 1:54; Ehrhardt M.j (instigator, major-fighting, 10-minute misconduct), 1:54; Zgraggen Vic (interference), 7:08; Hodges Vic (tripping), 10:50; Conroy Vic (cross checking), 12:08; Magee Vic (high sticking), 18:07; McFaull M.j (roughing), 18:07; McIlrath M.j (major - checking to the head, game misconduct), 19:08.
3rd Period-
2, Moose Jaw, Braes 27 (Johnson, Beach), 5:20.
Penalties-No Penalties
Shots on Goal-
Victoria 2-11-10-23.
Moose Jaw 13-5-11-29.
Power Play Opportunities-
Victoria 0 / 6; Moose Jaw 1 / 4.
Goalies-
Victoria, Hamilton 13-21-1-3 (29 shots-27 saves).
Moose Jaw, Tremblay 2-4-1-0 (23 shots-23 saves).
A-3,448
Referees-Nathan Wieler (18).
Linesmen-Sean Dufour (50), Dawson Switzer (97).
