Recap: Vancouver 4 - Victoria 6

Brandon Magee scored 4 goals to lead the Royals to a 6-4 win over the Giants

Brandon Magee scored 4 times to lead the Victoria Royals past the visiting Vancouver Giants 6-4 Friday night.

Brandon Fushimi scored a pair in the win.

It was see saw affair as Victoria opened the scoring, but trailed 2-1 after 20, lead 4-3 after 40, and stormed ahead 6-3 before surrendering a goal late.  The Royals are now just 4 points back of the Americans for 5th in the Conference and hold 3 games in hand.

Magee ties Kevin Sundher for the franchise record most goals scored in a single game.  He now leads the club in goals with 23.

The victory also ties the 2011 Chilliwack Bruins for most consecutive victories with 6 in a row as Victoria takes a 5-2 season series lead.  They’ll meet again on the Island Saturday night.
Brandon Magee - on the 4 goal game 

Magee celebrates a 4 goal night

Reigning CHL Player of the Week Alex Gogolev had 4 assists, Steven Hodges 2 helpers, coupled with Magee’s 4 goal performance gave the line 10 points on the evening.  They now have produced 38 points in the 6 game winning streak.

The Royals power play continued to dominate, scoring 3 times on 5 chances and has produced in 7 straight, going 17 for 40 (42.5%) in that stretch.  The Giants went 1 for 5.

Patrik Polivka earned his 22nd win making 20 saves, while the Giants split the goaltending duties.  16 year old Payton Lee got the start, but was replaced after allowing 5 goals on 20 shots.  Jared Rathjen came in relief to face his former club for the first time in the 3rd, stopping 8 of 9.
Brandon Magee - on 6 game win streak
Brandon Magee would open the scoring in the first, finishing off a pretty passing play from linemate Steven Hodges and Alex Gogolev.  Carter Popoff would slap a one timer past Polivka to even the score, and Cain Franson would convert on a breakaway to give the Giants a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes.

There were 2 fights in the first, Tim Traber with the decision of Mason Geertsen in the first minute, and Logan Fisher against Arvin Atwal after Tyler Stahl took a checking to the head penalty and game misconduct on Franson.

Victoria would tie it up at 2 with Brandon Fushimi’s 4th of the year early in the 2nd.  Vancouver’s Jackson Houck would strike on a penalty shot just 1:09 later, but a pair of power play goals by Brandon Magee would regain the lead for the Royals before the period was out.  It would also give Magee his first hat trick with the club.

Jackson Houck had 2 goals, including this one on Penalty Shot.

Magee would add his team leading 23rd of the season and 4th of the night just :32 seconds into the 3rd.  Brandon Fushimi’s 5th and 2nd of the night would give Victoria their first 3 goal lead while on the man advantage.  Jackson Houck would score on a 5 on 3 power play late for his 2nd of the night to close out the scoring.

The final frame saw 2 more fights, Brett Cote squaring off against Blake Orban after a hit on Jamie Crooks.  Kolton Dixon fought Jason Trott as well.

Brett Cote added a pair of assists for a third game in a row, Fushimi now has points in 3 straight (3g 1a), and Austin Carroll’s helper gives him 4 points in his last 3 outings (1g 2a).

Hodges had his 5 game goal scoring streak snapped, but with his 2 helpers extends his point streak to 6 games (8g 3a), Magee stretches his streak to 7 games (7g 6a) while Gogolev also pushes his to 7 games and 19 points (3g 16a).

Gogolev is now tied for 11th in league scoring with 59 points while surpassing last years point total of 57 in 69 games with the Hitmen.  He now has back to back 4 point outings, and second 4 assist game, the first coming on opening night in Vancouver.  It was his third 4 point night of the season.

Both Jamie Crooks and Tim Traber returned from injury, but were still without Logan Nelson (Lower, 2-3 weeks), Ben Walker (Upper, day to day), Luke Harrison (Upper, indefinite), and Trent Lofthouse (Upper, day to day).

The Giants have dropped their last 5, sit 10th in the Conference 16 points out of a playoff spot.

At home the Royals now have 16 wins in 23 games (16-5-1-1), while the Giants have 4 wins in 24 games on the road.

After Vancouver Saturday, Victoria entertains Prince Albert Tuesday before heading out on the road for 3 games in 3 nights beginning next Thursday in Kelowna.


Vancouver Giants 4 at Victoria Royals 6 - Status: Final
Friday, January 25, 2013 - Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena - Victoria, BC

Vancouver 2 1 1 - 4
Victoria 1 3 2 - 6

1st Period-
1, Victoria, Magee 20 (Hodges, Gogolev), 3:52.
2, Vancouver, Popoff 6   6:36.
3, Vancouver, Franson 19 (Zalitach), 11:02.

Penalties-Geertsen Van (major-fighting), 0:49; Traber Vic (major-fighting), 0:49; Atwal Van (major-fighting), 9:22; Fisher Vic (major-fighting), 9:22; Stahl Vic (major - checking to the head, game misconduct), 9:22; Leone Van (tripping), 10:09; Sward Van (roughing), 16:59; Traber Vic (slashing, roughing), 16:59; Trott Van (roughing), 20:00.

2nd Period-
4, Victoria, Fushimi 4 (Hodges), 3:43.
5, Vancouver, Houck 14   4:52 (TXT_PS).
6, Victoria, Magee 21 (Gogolev, Cote), 8:05 (PP).
7, Victoria, Magee 22 (Cote, Gogolev), 13:38 (PP).

Penalties-McEvoy Van (interference), 6:51; Houck Van (high sticking), 12:21; Orban Van (cross checking), 15:02; Gagnon Vic (roughing), 15:02.

3rd Period-
8, Victoria, Magee 23 (Gogolev, Carroll), 0:32.
9, Victoria, Fushimi 5 (Crooks, Hicketts), 2:21 (PP).
10, Vancouver, Houck 15 (Kulak, Franson), 17:35 (PP).

Penalties-McEvoy Van (holding), 0:59; Leone Van (tripping), 3:37; Orban Van (major-fighting), 14:20; Cote Vic (instigator, major-fighting, 10-minute misconduct), 14:20; Kanzig Vic (delay of game), 16:56; Dixon Vic (checking from behind), 17:15; Trott Van (major-fighting), 19:46; Dixon Vic (major-fighting), 19:46.

Shots on Goal-
Vancouver 9-5-10-24.
Victoria 7-12-10-29.

Power Play Opportunities-
Vancouver 1 / 5;
Victoria 3 / 5.

Goalies-
Vancouver, Lee 7-16-0-0 (20 shots-15 saves); Rathjen 2-5-0-0 (9 shots-8 saves).
Victoria, Polivka 22-10-1-2 (24 shots-20 saves).

A-6,093
Referees-Brett Iverson (24), Fraser Lawrence (10).
Linesmen-Justin Hull (49), Spencer Lockert (84).