Sunday 30 November 2014

Recap: VIC 5 - KAM 3

Austin Carroll scored twice to lead the visiting Victoria Royals (15-13-2-0, 32pts) past the Kamloops Blazers 5-3 Saturday night.

“We were thinking about the start before the game, and we came out flying, and had a really good start with 3 goals…” said forward Axel Blomqvist who was third star with two assists.

The Royals broke a 3-3 third period tie with a pair of goals :18 seconds apart to pull ahead with just over three minutes left.

“Feels great, all the boys are happy to get back into the win column…”  said Blomqvist

Victoria wraps up their three game road trip on a high note, after falling by the same 4-2 scores in Spokane Wednesday, and Portland Tuesday.

"It feels good, but obviously not the road trip we were looking for…” said netminder Coleman Vollrath,

“Would’ve liked to have come out of Portland and Spokane with a couple points…”

The Royals evened the season series against the Blazers (11-13-3-2) at two game apiece.

Saturday, Victoria led 3-0 after 20 minutes, and 3-2 after 40.

Coleman Vollrath earned his 12th win of the season stopping 25 of 28 shots, while Cole Kehler allowed 5 goals on 32 Royals shots.

Victoria was 1 for 4 on the power play, while Kamloops was 1 for 5.

The Royals scored a pair of goals just :13 seconds apart by Travis Brown and Carroll just :58 seconds into the first, and at 1:11.

The fastest two goals in succession in franchise history is :11 seconds done by Kevin Sundher and Brandon Manning Nov. 6th 2010 in Kelowna.

Greg Chase added his third in as many games on the power play before the period was out.

The Blazers Collin Shirley and Josh Connolly brought the home team with within one in the middle frame before their Captain Matt Needham drew Kamloops back even, early in the third.

Carroll, the number one star, scored his 20th of the season to retake the lead with just over three minutes left.  He takes sole possession of 2nd place in goals scored in the league.  Just :18 seconds later Taylor Crunk fired home his 5th to put the game out of reach.

Kamloops leading scorer and Team WHL participant, Cole Ully was held off the scoresheet.  Shirley earned a goal and an assist.

Joe Hicketts added two assists to give him 36 points, the most by a defenseman in the CHL.

Travis Brown pulls into a tie for most goals by a rearguard with his 10th.

Brandon Magee served the final of his 5 game suspension and is eligible to return to the line up when Victoria returns home to open a four game homestand against Portland Tuesday.

- Marlon Martens

Victoria Royals 5 at Kamloops Blazers 3 - Status: Final
Saturday, November 29, 2014 - Interior Savings Centre - Kamloops, BC

Victoria 3 0 2 - 5
Kamloops 0 2 1 - 3

1st Period-
1, Victoria, Brown 10   0:58.
2, Victoria, Carroll 19   1:11.
3, Victoria, Chase 5 (Hicketts, Blomqvist), 14:33 (PP).

Penalties-Walker Vic (high sticking), 1:46; Ully Kam (tripping), 7:06; Loewen Kam (checking from behind), 13:17; Connolly Kam (high sticking), 17:42.

2nd Period-
4, Kamloops, Shirley 7   3:05.
5, Kamloops, Connolly 4 (Revel, Shirley), 15:31 (PP).

Penalties-Brown Vic (cross checking), 8:26; Reddekopp Vic (slashing), 13:46; Walker Vic (interference), 19:01.

3rd Period-
6, Kamloops, Needham 9 (Zaharichuk, Maier), 5:41.
7, Victoria, Carroll 20 (Hicketts, Blomqvist), 16:11.
8, Victoria, Crunk 5 (Fisher, Gagnon), 16:29.

Penalties-Reagan Kam (hooking), 3:01; Chase Vic (high sticking), 8:03.

Shots on Goal-
Victoria 10-9-13-32.
Kamloops 5-13-10-28.

Power Play Opportunities-
Victoria 1 / 4;
Kamloops 1 / 5.

Goalies-
Victoria, Vollrath 12-9-2-0 (28 shots-25 saves).
Kamloops, Kehler 3-6-2-0 (32 shots-27 saves).

A-3,827
Referees-Ryan Benbow (62), Adam Griffiths (36).
Linesmen-Riley Balson (46), Michael Bean (148).