Recap: Tri City 2 - Victoria 5

Steven Hodges scores short handed in 5-2 win over Americans

Brandon Magee scored twice including the winner as the Victoria Royals (20-15-1-2, 43pts) defeated the visiting Tri City Americans (22-15-1-2, 47 pts) 5-2 Saturday night.

Magee broke a 3rd period 2-2 tie and added the empty netter to help the Royals earn the weekend split, after the Americans won 3-2 in overtime the night before. 

Brandon Magee banks it in off Eric Comrie

Victoria moves 4 points back of the 5th place Americans and take a 2-1 season series lead.  They’ll meet once more, in Tri City February 8th.

Brett Cote opened the scoring for Victoria in the 2nd, before Connor Rankin tied it up on the first half of a 5 on 3 power play.  Steven Hodges retook the lead with a short handed marker 1:20 later.  Brian Williams evened the game at 2 before the period was out.

Tyler Stahl hits Drydn Dow

Magee scored the eventual winner early in the third by banking it in off Eric Comrie from the corner.  Tim Traber who was denied on a breakaway in the first, would rifle in his 2nd of the season to give the home team their first 2 goal lead of the game. 

The Americans would pull Comrie for the extra attacker with 3:50 left in the third and Magee (2g 1a) would add his 16th of the year for the victory, receiving 1st star honours with a 3 point performance.  Alex Gogolev also chipped in with 3 helpers.

Victoria went 0 for 4 on the power play, while Tri City went 1 for 5.

Patrik Polivka earned his 16th win of the season with a  30 save performance, while Eric Comrie suffered his 14th defeat making 28 stops.

Tim Traber celebrates his 2nd of the season

Victoria played without F Ben Walker (Upper, day to day), F Logan Nelson (Lower, 4-6 weeks), F Luke Harrison (Upper, indefinite), and defenseman Ryan Gagnon and Joe Hicketts who have yet to return from the U-17 tournament where they finished 5th for Team Pacific.

The Royals kick off a 3 game road trip Wednesday in Kelowna, and make stops in Everett and Seattle before returning home for a pair against Kamloops.

-mm

Tri-City Americans 2 at Victoria Royals 5 - Status: Final
Saturday, January 5, 2013 - Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena - Victoria, BC

Tri-City 0 2 0 - 2
Victoria 0 2 3 - 5

1st Period-
No Scoring.

Penalties-Crunk Vic (interference), 9:19; Gutierrez T.c (boarding), 12:36; Feser T.c (cross checking), 13:53; McCue T.c (hooking), 16:40.

2nd Period-
1, Victoria, Cote 6 (Magee, Gogolev), 5:12.
2, Tri-City, Rankin 16 (Feser, Topping), 7:27 (PP).
3, Victoria, Hodges 11   8:47 (SH).
4, Tri-City, Williams 12 (Plutnar, Mychan), 13:40.

Penalties-Traber Vic (elbowing), 5:52; Stahl Vic (cross checking), 7:07; Feser T.c (slashing), 13:47.

3rd Period-
5, Victoria, Magee 15 (Zgraggen, Gogolev), 1:19.
6, Victoria, Traber 2 (Gogolev, Stahl), 14:53.
7, Victoria, Magee 16   16:38 (EN).

Penalties-Crunk Vic (inter. on goaltender), 1:33; Dixon Vic (delay of game), 4:30.

Shots on Goal-
Tri-City 6-13-13-32.
Victoria 7-12-14-33.

Power Play Opportunities-
Tri-City 1 / 5;
Victoria 0 / 4.

Goalies-
Tri-City, Comrie 19-14-1-2 (32 shots-28 saves).
Victoria, Polivka 16-8-1-2 (32 shots-30 saves).

A-5,947
Referees-Chris Crich (20), Brett Montsion (54).
Linesmen-Tim Digby (75), Bevan Mills (98).