Sunday 4 November 2012

Recap: VIC 2 - PORT 6

D Jesse Zgraggen checks F Ty Rattie (1g) in 6-2 Winterhawks victory Saturday night.

The Victoria Royals (9-8, 18pts) suffered a second straight 6-2 road loss at the hands of the Portland Winterhawks (12-3-1-0, 24pts) in back to back nights Saturday.

“Bottom line is we gave them too many scoring opportunities and they have skilled guys that can put the puck in the net.”  Assistant Coach Ben Cooper.

It’s the Royals fourth consecutive loss on the road, while the Winterhawks win their eighth game in a row.
Face off in Royals end.
They won’t meet again until March 10th and 12th in Victoria.

The Royals led 2-0 by the midway point of the first period on goals by Jamie Crooks, and Alex Gogolev on the power play.

Again it was Victoria getting on board first, but Portland was able to turn the tables according to Cooper,

“I thought we had a bit better jump tonight, we had a really good start, but they’re a really good team we’re playing against, and you give them chances and they’re going to make you pay.”

The Winterhawks would respond with six unanswered.  They cut the lead in half before the period was out.

In the second, Portland added a pair, and then three more in the third.

Captain Tyler Stahl
It was also the return of defenseman Tyler Stahl to the line up from injury, the first time playing as the newly appointed Captain and was a factor said Cooper,

“Tyler Stahl made a difference early.  You can tell when he’s out there, other players know he’s out there and it has an affect on our guys, it gave us confidence but we just couldn’t weather the storm long enough…it was disappointing.”

Victoria netminder Coleman Vollrath stopped 39 shots for his first loss, while Mac Carruth turned aside 29 pucks for his 5th victory in as many starts.
D Keegan Kanzig
The Royals scored once on seven power play opportunities, but gave up a shorthanded goal to Troy Rutkowski which would be the eventual game winner.  The Winterhawks went one for three with the man advantage.

Portland had four players with 3 point nights, Rutkowski (2g 1a), Nic Petan (1g 2a), Brendan Leipsic (1g 2a), and Derrick Pouliot (3a).  Ty Rattie scored his 11th to extend his league leading point streak to 10 games.

Steven Hodges extends his assist streak to four games (4a).

It was just as physical as the night before, with 84 penalty minutes handed out.  Keegan Kanzig earned the decision in a heavy weight tilt in the first against Joe Mahon.

Victoria now travels to Alberta for games in Lethbridge Wednesday, Calgary Friday and Medicine Hat Saturday before returning home.

Victoria Royals 2 at Portland Winterhawks 6 - Status: Final
Saturday, November 3, 2012 - Rose Garden - Portland, OR

Victoria 2 0 0 - 2
Portland 1 2 3 - 6

1st Period-
1, Victoria, Crooks 6 (Hodges, Nelson), 7:26.
2, Victoria, Gogolev 8 (Magee), 10:08 (PP).
3, Portland, Iverson 2 (Baker, Hanson), 12:37.

Penalties-Leier Por (high sticking), 2:16; Kanzig Vic (major-fighting), 6:37; Mahon Por (major-fighting), 6:37; Iverson Por (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 9:22; Fransoo Vic (instigator, major-fighting, 10-minute misconduct), 10:31; Leipsic Por (kneeing, major-fighting), 10:31; Walker Vic (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 18:27; De Champlain Por (roughing), 18:27; Petan Por (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 18:27.

2nd Period-
4, Portland, Rattie 11 (Leipsic, Rutkowski), 1:36.
5, Portland, Rutkowski 3 (Peters, Pouliot), 12:50 (SH).

Penalties-Carroll Vic (roughing), 3:07; Walker Vic (roughing), 5:43; Gogolev Vic (roughing), 11:45; Leipsic Por (roughing), 11:45; Wotherspoon Por (cross checking), 12:22.

3rd Period-
6, Portland, Leipsic 8 (Petan, Wotherspoon), 1:16.
7, Portland, Petan 8 (Leipsic, Pouliot), 5:42.
8, Portland, Rutkowski 4 (Petan, Pouliot), 10:08 (PP).

Penalties-Hicketts Vic (roughing), 9:44; Jones Por (elbowing), 12:30; Rutkowski Por (tripping), 15:23; served by Kopeck Por (bench - coach), 19:11; Deacon Vic (checking to the head), 19:38; Zgraggen Vic (10-minute misconduct), 19:55; Pouliot Por (10-minute misconduct), 19:55.

Shots on Goal-
Victoria 12-6-14-32.
Portland 13-14-18-45.

Power Play Opportunities-
Victoria 1 / 7;
Portland 1 / 3.

Goalies-
Victoria, Vollrath 1-1-0-0 (45 shots-39 saves).
Portland, Carruth 5-0-0-0 (32 shots-30 saves).

A-6,729
Referees-Jason Nissen (91), Steve Papp (17).
Linesmen-Jarrod Boman (116), Trevor Shively (119).