Recap: Victoria 0 - Kamloops 6

Kale Kessey scored twice and added 2 assists as the Kamloops Blazers shut out the visiting Victoria Royals 6-0 Tuesday.

Cole Cheveldave earned his 6th shut out of the year.

“I thought we played a good first 15 minutes and we gave up a couple goals…It’s lack of execution on our part…We deviated from what we wanted to do and we made it actually a real easy night for them.” - Head Coach Dave Lowry

Cole Cheveldave earned back to back shut outs as the Blazers outshot the Royals 33-12.  N. Saanich product defenseman Sam Grist and Kamloops leading scorer Colin Smith each had a goal and two assists each.

“We kind of let off the gas in the last 5 minutes (of the first), I think that’s what swung the momentum there way and we never gained it back.” – Joe Hicketts, Royals Defenseman

The Blazers built up period leads of 2-0 and 5-0, all on even strength goals before adding their 6th with the man advantage in the third.  The Royals killed off 8 of 9 power plays, while being blanked on their 3 chances.

Royals starting line up.

“Our penalty killing did a good job, but let’s be real - 9 penalties, don’t give yourself a chance to win, we became unravelled and discipline was a huge issue for our team…”  Lowry said.

It was a physical affair with 156 minutes in penalties called, 108 to Victoria.

“We want to be smart…That’s not what we want to be know for.  We want to be known as a team that plays hard whistle to whistle.  If we can bring that emotion and intensity to start a game, usually we’re in a better position.”  According to Lowry.

The 6th place Royals are now winless in 10 (0-8-1-1), while the Blazers win their 4th in a row and pull to within one point of the 2nd place Rockets.  With 7 games left, Victoria remains 10 points back of 5th place Spokane.

The eight game season series ends in a draw, four games a piece.

JC Lipon opened the scoring with his 35th, followed by a shot off Kale Kessy’s leg with just :26.5 seconds left in the first.

Kessy gave the Blazers a 3-0 lead in middle frame before Smith and Grist tallied late.  Grist dump in came off the hot kick plate and off netminder Patrik Polivka’s skate into the net.  The Blazers took a 5-0 lead into the third and Tim Bozon added his 33rd of the year to round out the scoring.

#24 Matthew Campese 1st WHL Game

Coleman Vollrath replaced Polivka who allowed 5 goals on 22 shots after 40 minutes, while Vollrath blocked 10 of 11.

3rd round bantam pick in 2012, 15 year old forward Matthew Campese played his first WHL game for the Royals and faired well, even generating some scoring opportunities.

The contest kicked off 5 games in 6 nights, part of 6 in 8.  Victoria is in Kelowna Wednesday before returning for a home and home against Vancouver Friday and Saturday, and a 5pm game Sunday at home against Portland.


Victoria Royals 0 at Kamloops Blazers 6 - Status: Final
Tuesday, March 5, 2013 - Interior Savings Centre - Kamloops, BC

Victoria 0 0 0 - 0
Kamloops 2 3 1 - 6

1st Period-
1, Kamloops, Lipon 35 (Ranford, Ully), 15:24.
2, Kamloops, Kessy 18 (Grist, Smith), 19:33.

Penalties-Hodges Vic (cross checking), 3:16; Fransoo Vic (high sticking), 9:37; Macklin Kam (interference), 12:23.

2nd Period-
3, Kamloops, Kessy 19 (Bozon, Grist), 9:28.
4, Kamloops, Smith 41 (Kessy, Bozon), 15:12.
5, Kamloops, Grist 5 (Ranford), 18:54.

Penalties-Hansen Kam (checking from behind), 0:33; Crooks Vic (hooking), 2:43; Walker Vic (hooking), 12:02; Deacon Vic (major-fighting), 18:39; Lipon Kam (major-fighting), 18:39; Magee Vic (high sticking), 19:50.

3rd Period-
6, Kamloops, Bozon 33 (Kessy, Smith), 1:42 (PP).

Penalties-Kanzig Vic (roughing, roughing, 10-minute misconduct), 3:22; Magee Vic (10-minute misconduct), 3:22; Traber Vic (major-fighting, game misconduct), 3:22; Grist Kam (roughing, misconduct-helmet), 3:22; Kessy Kam (10-minute misconduct), 3:22; Dixon Vic (10-minute misconduct, game misconduct), 7:06; Carroll Vic (interference), 9:30; Fransoo Vic (slashing), 11:39; Magee Vic (10-minute misconduct), 18:07; Macklin Kam (checking to the head), 18:07; Carroll Vic (major-fighting), 19:42; Rehill Kam (major-fighting), 19:42; Kanzig Vic (major-fighting, game misconduct), 19:51; Souto Kam (misconduct-helmet), 19:51.

Shots on Goal-
Victoria 3-6-3-12.
Kamloops 9-13-11-33.

Power Play Opportunities-
Victoria 0 / 3;
Kamloops 1 / 9.

Goalies-
Victoria, Polivka 28-16-2-3 (22 shots-17 saves); Vollrath 2-9-0-1 (11 shots-10 saves). Kamloops, Cheveldave 35-14-1-1 (12 shots-12 saves).

A-5,327
Referees-Kevin Bennett (29), Brett Iverson (24).
Linesmen-Ryan Dawson (134), Ryan Gibbons (73).