The Royals will look to tie the franchise record of 6 consecutive victories, held by the 2011 Chilliwack Bruins.
It’s the 7th of 10 season meetings with Victoria holding a 4-2 advantage after defeating Vancouver on the road 6-2 last Friday. That win gave the club a franchise setting 50 points in 44 contests, 6 games quicker than the 2010 Bruins. Victoria now has one more win than all of last season with 25.
The Giants have dropped their last 4, sit 10th in the Conference 15 points out of a playoff spot. They fell 4-0 Sunday against the visiting Everett Silvertips, and 5-3 the night before in Kelowna wrapping up 3 in 3 nights 0-3.
The Royals are 6th in the West, 6 back of 5th place Tri City with 3 games in hand.
Victoria opens a 3 game homestand after returning home with a pair of road victories, most recently 5-4 in Kamloops Saturday, winning at the Interior Savings Centre for the first time since the club relocated from Chilliwack.
The victory was their 10th come from behind this season, the most in the league. Over the weekend, Patrik Polivka earned his 21st win, one more than Keith Hamilton’s 20 in all of last season.
The line of Steven Hodges, Brandon Magee and Alex Gogolev, clicked for 14 points in the two games and Gogolev was named CHL Player of the Week for his 12 points including (3g 9a) in 4 games for the week ending January 20. Gogolev becomes the first player in Victoria Royals team history to receive the WHL & CHL Player of the Week award.
Steven Hodges is riding a league high 5 game goal scoring streak with 8 goals and 2 assist for 9 points. Gogolev is riding a 6 game streak with 3 goals and 12 assists and 15 points and is just 2 points shy of the 57 (25g-32a) he posted last season with the Hitmen.
Magee is on a 6 game point streak, with 3 goals 6 assists and 9 points.
The Royals power play has improved to 8th best in the league, operating at 40% over their last 6 games (14/35).
At home the club has 15 wins in 22 games (15-5-1-1), while the Giants have 4 wins in 23 games on the road.
Victoria welcomed the 5 days in between games as they nurse some injuries: Logan Nelson (Lower, 2-3 weeks), Ben Walker (Upper, day to day), Luke Harrison (Upper, indefinite), Jamie Crooks (Upper, day to day), Trent Lofthouse (Upper, day to day).
After Vancouver Friday and Saturday, Victoria entertains Prince Albert Tuesday.
| Previous Meetings This Season | Victoria 6 @ Vancouver 2 (Jan 18 2013) Final Vancouver 7 @ Victoria 2 (Dec 5 2012) Final Victoria 1 @ Vancouver 4 (Oct 26 2012) Final Victoria 2 @ Vancouver 1 (Oct 7 2012) Final Vancouver 2 @ Victoria 3 (Sep 22 2012) Final Victoria 6 @ Vancouver 4 (Sep 21 2012) Final |
How the 2 teams match up
Vancouver
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Victoria
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| Team Record | 12-36-0-0 -- 24 points | 25-17-1-2 -- 53 points |
| Division Ranking | 5th B.C. | 3rd B.C. |
| Conference Ranking | 10th Western | 6th Western |
| League Ranking | 22nd | 10th |
| Past 10 Games | 2-8-0-0 | 6-3-1-0 |
| Streak | 0-4-0-0 | 5-0-0-0 |
| Last Game | 4-0 L vs Everett (Jan 20 2013) Final | 5-4 W @ Kamloops (Jan 19 2013) Final |
| Home Record | 8-17-0-0 | 15-5-1-1 |
| Away Record | 4-19-0-0 | 10-12-0-1 |
| GF | 131 | 146 |
| GA | 208 | 149 |
| PP (Overall) | (32/176) 18.2 | (47/219) 21.5 |
| PP (Home) | (20/99) 20.2 | (20/103) 19.4 |
| PP (Away) | (12/77) 15.6 | (27/116) 23.3 |
| PK (Overall) | (56/208) 73.1 | (45/203) 77.8 |
| PK (Home) | (30/106) 71.7 | (17/87) 80.5 |
| PK (Away) | (26/102) 74.5 | (28/116) 75.9 |
| Leading Rookie | Morrison (1-12-13) | Hicketts (1-10-11) |
| Most PIM | Geertsen - 90 | Carroll - 102 |
| Team PIM/GM | 17.1/Game | 19.9/Game |
| Leading Scorers | Houck (13-27-40) | Gogolev (16-39-55) |
| Rouse (8-28-36) | Magee (19-21-40) | |
| Kulak (9-20-29) | Crooks (21-12-33) | |
| Franson (18-10-28) | Nelson (8-23-31) | |
| Tvrdon (8-14-22) | Walker (13-17-30) | |
| Last 5 Games | 4-0 L vs Everett (Jan 20 2013) Final | 5-4 W @ Kamloops (Jan 19 2013) Final |
| 5-3 L @ Kelowna (Jan 19 2013) Final | 6-2 W @ Vancouver (Jan 18 2013) Final | |
| 6-2 L vs Victoria (Jan 18 2013) Final | 3-2 W vs Kamloops (Jan 16 2013) Final SO | |
| 9-5 L vs Tri-City (Jan 16 2013) Final | 6-4 W vs Kamloops (Jan 15 2013) Final | |
| 4-3 W vs Kelowna (Jan 12 2013) Final OT | 6-2 W @ Seattle (Jan 12 2013) Final | |
| Leading After 1st | 7-2-0-0 | 12-4-0-1 |
| Leading After 2nd | 7-0-0-0 | 13-0-0-1 |
| Tied After 1st | 4-11-0-0 | 9-4-1-1 |
| Tied After 2nd | 4-9-0-0 | 2-1-1-0 |
| Trailing After 1st | 1-23-0-0 | 4-9-0-0 |
| Trailing After 2nd | 1-27-0-0 | 10-16-0-1 |
| Out Shooting Opponents | 9-14-0-0 | 9-4-0-1 |
| Out Shot by Opponents | 3-21-0-0 | 14-13-1-1 |
| 1-Goal Games | 7-10-0-0 | 13-2-1-2 |
| 2-Goal Games | 0-7-0-0 | 5-3-0-0 |
| 3-Goal Games | 2-6-0-0 | 2-8-0-0 |
