Saturday 14 December 2013

Preview: Victoria at Medicine Hat, Sat Dec 14th. 2013

The Victoria Royals (21-13-0-1, 43pts) visit the Medicine Hat Tigers (19-10-3-0, 41pts) Saturday night.

Pregame show at 6:15 on The Zone @ 91.3fm

It’s the first of two season meetings, as last year the Royals took both games.  Brett Cote scored the overtime winner in a 4-3 victory on home ice, while Logan Nelson had the hat trick in a 5-3 victory on the road.

Victoria is 5th in the West and are 1-1 on their 5 game road trip.  Thursday Axel Blomqvist had a 3 point night including the overtime winner as the Royals beat the Broncos 4-3 snapping their 2 game losing skid.  Steven Hodges had a goal and assist, while Ben Walker and Tyler Soy rounded out the scoring.  Patrik Polivka earned the win. 

The Tigers are 4th in the East now trail the Hitmen by 4 points after a 7-0 loss in Calgary Friday night.  Medicine Hat has 4 wins in their past 10 (4-6), but are strong on home ice with points in 14 of 17 games (12-3-2-0).   Victoria is 10-5 on the road.

The Tigers have 3 players competing in respective World Junior Selection Camps.  Markus Eisenchmid for Germany, netminder Marek Langhamer for Czech Republic and forward Hunter Shinkaruk for Canada.

Medicine boasts 5 NHL draft players.  Jacob Doty (St.Louis Blues), Marek Langhamer (Phoenix Coyotes), Tommy Vannelli (St.Louis Blues), Tyler Lewington (Washington Capitals) and Hunter Shinkaruk (Vancouver Canucks).

Victoria was without 6 regulars in Swift Current.  Brandon Magee served the first of a two game suspension for a match penalty at the end of the Vancouver game.  Austin Carroll (inj),  Logan Nelson (upper 7-10 days) along with defensemen Jordan Fransoo (upper, 2 weeks), Joe Hicketts (upper, indefinite) and forward Jack Walker (illness, day to day).

Ben Walker is riding a 4 game goal scoring streak (5g 1a).  Hodges has back to back 2 point games (3g 1a).  Tyler Soy has 9 goals to lead all 16 years olds in the league.

Wednesday, Victoria acquired forward Braden Oleksyn (1996) from Calgary for Landon Welykholowa (1996).  He picked up his first WHL point with an assist Tuesday.  Affiliate player, forward Matthew Dykstra (4th rd 2012) played his first WHL game with the Royals also in Swift Current.

The 10 day round trip continues Sunday afternoon in Lethbridge, and wrap up 5 games in 8 nights Tuesday in Edmonton.

-Marlon Martens

Victoria Royals vs Medicine Hat Tigers: Head To Head Stats
Summary

Description
Result
Head to Head Record 2013-14 Regular Season Victoria 0-0-0-0Medicine Hat 0-0-0-0
Head to Head Record 2012-13 Regular Season Victoria 2-0-0-0Medicine Hat 0-1-1-0
Last 5 Years record between teams Victoria 5-4-1-0Medicine Hat 5-3-2-0
Victoria vs. Medicine Hat Last 5 Years record at Victoria Victoria 3-2-0-0Medicine Hat 2-1-2-0
Victoria vs. Medicine Hat Last 5 Years record at Medicine Hat Victoria 2-2-1-0Medicine Hat 3-2-0-0
How the 2 teams match up
Medicine Hat
Victoria
Team Record 19-10-3-0 -- 41 points 21-13-0-1 -- 43 points
Division Ranking 3rd Central 2nd B.C.
Conference Ranking 4th Eastern 5th Western
League Ranking 9th 8th
Past 10 Games 4-6-0-0 7-3-0-0
Streak 0-1-0-0 1-0-0-0
Last Game 7-0 L @ Calgary (Dec 13 2013) Final 4-3 W @ Swift Current (Dec 12 2013) Final OT
Home Record 12-3-2-0 11-8-0-1
Away Record 7-7-1-0 10-5-0-0
GF 109  97 
GA 89  86 
PP (Overall) (27/134) 20.1 (33/155) 21.3
PP (Home) (18/74) 24.3 (19/89) 21.3
PP (Away) (9/60) 15.0 (14/66) 21.2
PK (Overall) (19/108) 82.4 (22/147) 85.0
PK (Home) (11/62) 82.3 (15/91) 83.5
PK (Away) (8/46) 82.6 (7/56) 87.5
Leading Rookie Vannelli (9-15-24) Soy (9-7-16)
Most PIM Lewington - 45 Carroll - 72
Team PIM/GM 13.6/Game 15.2/Game
Leading Scorers Valk (13-20-33) Nelson (12-20-32)
Cox (8-24-32) Carroll (15-10-25)
Sanford (16-12-28) Magee (10-14-24)
Vannelli (9-15-24) Blomqvist (10-13-23)
Bredo (2-18-20) Walker (13-9-22)
Last 5 Games 7-0 L @ Calgary (Dec 13 2013) Final 4-3 W @ Swift Current (Dec 12 2013) Final OT
1-0 W vs Calgary (Dec 10 2013) Final OT 3-2 L @ Vancouver (Dec 10 2013) Final
2-1 L @ Edmonton (Dec 8 2013) Final 7-4 L vs Vancouver (Dec 7 2013) Final
4-3 W vs Prince Albert (Dec 7 2013) Final 4-2 W vs Vancouver (Dec 6 2013) Final
4-1 L @ Calgary (Dec 1 2013) Final 3-0 W vs Kootenay (Dec 3 2013) Final
Leading After 1st 8-1-1-0 12-1-0-0
Leading After 2nd 15-1-0-0 15-0-0-0
Tied After 1st 8-3-1-0 7-1-0-0
Tied After 2nd 2-0-2-0 3-0-0-1
Trailing After 1st 3-6-1-0 2-11-0-1
Trailing After 2nd 2-9-1-0 3-13-0-0
Out Shooting Opponents 13-7-0-0 7-5-0-1
Out Shot by Opponents 4-3-3-0 11-8-0-0
1-Goal Games 6-6-3-0 9-4-0-1
2-Goal Games 7-1-0-0 5-3-0-0
3-Goal Games 2-2-0-0 4-3-0-0