Recap: Kamloops 4 - Victoria 6

Steven Hodges beats Cole Cheveldave in a 6-4 Royals victory.

The Victoria Royals (22-17-1-2, 47pts) came from behind to upset the visiting Kamloops Blazers (29-13-2-2, 62pts) 6-4 Tuesday night.

Jack Walker scored his 2nd of the season, the Game Winner

The Royals overcame a 3-1, 3rd period deficit with a 5 goal final frame.  It’s Victoria’s 2nd win in 5 games against Kamloops this season.  They’ll meet again Wednesday night in the back to back set.

The Royals power play struck 4 times in the final frame, going 4 for 7 overall.  The Blazers went 1 for 4.

Alex Gogolev had a 3 point night, while getting 2 point efforts from Brett Cote (1g 1a), Joe Hicketts (2a), Austin Carroll (1g 1a), Steven Hodges (2g) and Brandon Fushimi (2a).  Jack Walker rounded out the scoring with the eventual game winner.

Patrik Polivka celebrates with Coleman Vollrath

Patrik Polivka made 26 saves for his 18th win, while Cole Cheveldave suffered his 10th loss with 19 stops.  Polivka is now just 2 wins away from tying Keith Hamilton’s 20 wins last season.

Victoria saw Captain Tyler Stahl return to the line up after missing the last two games (Upper), but were still without 5 players due to injury.  Logan Nelson (lower, 3-5 weeks), Ben Walker (Upper, 1-2 weeks), Luke Harrison (Upper, indefinite), Tim Traber (Lower), and Mitch Deacon sat out.  The Royals welcomed AP’s Regan Nagy and Michael Bell to the line up for their first WHL games.

Tyler Stahl takes the body

After a scoreless first period, Matt Needham opened the scoring for the Blazers in the second.  Steven Hodges on a great individual effort evened the score at 1 with his 13th of the season.  Kamloops would take a two goal lead on goals by Cole Ully and Colin Smith :32 seconds apart, late in the middle frame.

Austin Carroll who came into the contest with goals in back to back games got Victoria to within one on the power play early in the 3rd.  Alex Gogolev tied it up at 3 with a highlight reel goal with the man advantage at the mid way point of the period.  The Blazers would retake the lead after Tim Bozon converted on a Brendan Ranford pass from behind the net for his 27th. 

The Royals would go back onto the power play and Brett Cote’s point shot would beat Cheveldave to tie the game at 4.  Just :31 seconds later Jack Walker made a nifty move to bury his 2nd of the season and give Victoria their first lead of the game.  Steven Hodges (14th) would pick the top corner on the power play 1:18 later to add some insurance, 6-4 final.

Austin Carroll cut the Blazer lead to 3-2 tipping a shot past Cole Cheveldave

The Royals final 3 goals came just 1:49 apart, and it was the most goals in one period by the club all season with 5 in the third.

Color Anaylst Mike Walker of CHEK TV, between the benches

Victoria is 6th in the Conference and remains 6 points back of Tri City who won in Everett.  If the playoffs were to start today, they’d face 3rd place Kamloops who swept them in the post season last year.

The Royals now have points in their last 6 consecutive on home ice where they sport a record of (14-5-1-1).

Both clubs kick off a 4 game in 5 night set, as after the Blazers Wednesday, the Royals visit the Giants Friday and the Blazers again on Saturday.  Kamloops will visit Tri City before returning home.

-mm

Kamloops Blazers 4 at Victoria Royals 6 - Status: Final
Tuesday, January 15, 2013 - Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena - Victoria, BC

Kamloops 0 3 1 - 4
Victoria 0 1 5 - 6

1st Period-
No Scoring.

Penalties-Smith Kam (holding), 4:27; Stahl Vic (roughing), 4:27; Stahl Vic (roughing), 9:24; Kessy Kam (roughing), 13:22; Lipon Kam (major-fighting), 17:59; Magee Vic (major-fighting), 17:59; Kessy Kam (roughing, 10-minute misconduct), 19:14; Smith Kam (roughing), 19:14; Stahl Vic (roughing, roughing), 19:14; Crooks Vic (kneeing), 19:52.

2nd Period-
1, Kamloops, Needham 7 (Ully, Grist), 1:58.
2, Victoria, Hodges 13 (Fushimi, Gagnon), 15:40.
3, Kamloops, Ully 13 (Needham, Edmundson), 18:33 (PP).
4, Kamloops, Smith 28 (Kessy, Lipon), 19:05.

Penalties-Bell Vic (high sticking), 5:48; served by Macklin Kam (too many men), 8:28; Gagnon Vic (slashing), 17:55; Ranford Kam (inter. on goaltender), 19:32.

3rd Period-
5, Victoria, Carroll 10 (Hicketts, Gogolev), 1:26 (PP).
6, Victoria, Gogolev 14 (Cote, Magee), 9:21 (PP).
7, Kamloops, Bozon 27 (Ranford), 13:04.
8, Victoria, Cote 8 (Hicketts, Gogolev), 14:59 (PP).
9, Victoria, Walker 2 (Carroll), 15:30.
10, Victoria, Hodges 14 (Stahl, Fushimi), 16:48 (PP).

Penalties-Needham Kam (roughing), 7:18; Crunk Vic (checking from behind), 7:18; Kessy Kam (tripping), 8:56; Lipon Kam (slashing), 13:29; Edmundson Kam (major-boarding, game misconduct), 16:05.

Shots on Goal-
Kamloops 7-15-8-30.
Victoria 5-7-13-25.

Power Play Opportunities-
Kamloops 1 / 4;
Victoria 4 / 7.

Goalies-Kamloops,
Cheveldave 20-10-1-1 (25 shots-19 saves).
Victoria, Polivka 18-10-1-2 (30 shots-26 saves).

A-4,373

Referees-Sean Raphael (28), Pat Smith (12).
Linesmen-Riley Friesen (76), Kirk Van Helvoirt (107).