Jamie Crooks scored twice and added an assist to lead the Victoria Royals (11-10 22pts) to a 5-0 victory over the visiting Everett Silvertips (7-14-0-2, 16pts) Friday night.
Patrik Polivka earned the club’s first shut out in team history with a 20 save performance, his 8th win of the season. Austin Lotz turned aside 23 of 27 shots, and Daniel Cotton in the final frame stopped 8 of 9.
It was the first of 4 meetings of the season, and the first victory for the club in team history against the Silvertips. They won’t meet again until January 11th in Everett.
Victoria now has back to back wins and improves to 11-10 on the season, good for 6th in the conference, 4 points back of the Rockets. The Silvertips remain in 9th, with 16 points.
The Royals held period leads of 1-0 and 3-0 after getting goals from Alex Gogolev (9th), Jamie Crooks (8th, 9th) and Ben Walker (7th) on the power play. They would add a pair in the third with Brandon Fushimi’s 2nd of the season, and Crooks’ second of the night. Brandon Magee had a pair of assists.
Everett’s leading scorer, defenseman Ryan Murray left the game in the second period and did not return. The Royals were without F Steven Hodges, F Tim Traber (upper), and D Jesse Zgraggen (lower).
Victoria went 1 for 5 on the power play, scoring on a two man advantage, while shutting down all 3 Everett man advantages.
There were two main fights, with the Royals taking the decision in both. Keegan Kanzig in the first period against Lucas Grayson, and Ryan Gagnon who’s played forward for the last two games, in the third against Dawson Leedahl.
The Royals will play the second of a six game homestand Saturday night against the Pats, falling last year in Regina by a 7-3 score. Saskatoon visits on Tuesday.
Victoria improves to 7-2 at the Save On Foods Memorial Center, and improve to 6-3 when scoring the first goal of the game.
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Everett Silvertips 0 at Victoria Royals 5 - Status: Final
Friday, November 16, 2012 - Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena - Victoria, BC
Everett 0 0 0 - 0
Victoria 1 2 2 - 5
1st Period-
1, Victoria, Gogolev 9 (Walker, Carroll), 6:53.
Penalties-Grayson Evt (major-fighting), 9:15; Kanzig Vic (major-fighting), 9:15; MacDonald Evt (hooking), 10:19.
2nd Period-
2, Victoria, Crooks 8 (Magee, Harrison), 7:19.
3, Victoria, Walker 7 (Crooks, Magee), 13:00 (PP).
Penalties-Cox Evt (hooking), 11:58; Mueller Evt (checking to the head), 12:44; Nelson Vic (inter. on goaltender), 14:28; Leedahl Evt (tripping), 16:33; Hayer Evt (checking from behind), 19:36; Mueller Evt (roughing), 19:36; Fransoo Vic (roughing), 19:36; Magee Vic (boarding), 19:36; Oslanski Evt (roughing, 10-minute misconduct), 20:00; Petryk Evt (major-fighting), 20:00; Carroll Vic (roughing, 10-minute misconduct), 20:00; Deacon Vic (major-fighting), 20:00; Polivka Vic (leaving crease), 20:00.
3rd Period-
4, Victoria, Fushimi 2 (Fisher, Nelson), 5:49.
5, Victoria, Crooks 9 12:03.
Penalties-Leedahl Evt (major-fighting), 6:34; Gagnon Vic (major-fighting), 6:34; Nelson Vic (slashing), 8:52; Walters Evt (holding), 15:46.
Shots on Goal-
Everett 7-3-10-20.
Victoria 12-13-11-36.
Power Play Opportunities-
Everett 0 / 3;
Victoria 1 / 5.
Goalies-
Everett, Lotz 2-8-0-1 (27 shots-23 saves);
Cotton 5-4-0-0 (9 shots-8 saves).
Victoria, Polivka 8-5-0-0 (20 shots-20 saves).
A-4,457
Referees-Ryan Benbow (62), Adam Griffiths (36).
Linesmen-Riley Friesen (76), Kirk Van Helvoirt (107).
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