The Victoria Royals (9-6, 18pts) open a 5 game homestand
with a pair of back to back games against the Kelowna Rockets (7-2-0-2, 16pts)
Friday and Saturday.
Pregame show on The Zone @ 91.3 fm at 6:45 both nights, online at www.thezone.fm
In their only previous meeting, the Royals won 4-3 in a shoot out on the road Sept 28th. Trent Lofthouse was the games first star with a goal and an assist, while Brandon Fushimi and Landon Welykholowa (Well-uh-Call-uh-Wah) also scored overcoming a 3-1 third period deficit. In the shoot out, Logan Nelson and brothers Jack and Ben Walker all scored. Coleman Vollrath earned the win.
Top spot in the BC Division is on the line, as the Rockets are two points back with four games in hand of the Royals.
Victoria is coming off a 2 game US road swing, earning a split after a 4-2 loss at Tri City they knocked off Spokane 4-1.
Coleman Vollrath made 41 saves against the Chiefs, in a game the Royals never trailed, getting goals from Tyler Soy, a Ben Walker power play marker, a breakaway strike from Brandon Fushimi and an empty netter from Logan Fisher. Austin Carroll had 2 assists.
The Royals are riding a 5 game home win streak and look for their 3rd consecutive sweep of a two game set (Lethbridge & PG).
Kelowna wrapped up a 4 game homestand (2-1-0-1) with a 2-1 loss to Calgary on Tuesday, while outshooting the Hitmen 39-21. Calgary was given honourable mention in the CHL Top 10 this week, while the Rockets who were ranked 9th last week were left off the list.
The Rockets got home wins against Prince George and Lethbridge, and a shoot out loss against Seattle. Kelowna’s only played 3 road games with a 2-1 record thus far. After the pair on the Island, they’ll play two in Prince George.
The Rockets penalty killing is 1st in the league (90.2%), but on the road ranked 19th. Kelowna has scored the 2nd most goals on average per game (4.27) second only to Portland, while being the 4th stingiest team goals against wise (2.73).
Victoria is the 3rd stingiest allowing only 2.53 goals against on average per game. The Royals power play has scored in 8 straight games (11 for 40, 27.5%). Their 2nd best penalty kill was tested just 3 times on the 2 game US road swing.
Logan Nelson is on an 8 games point streak (7g 6a). Ben Walker has 5 points over his last 3 outings (1g 4a).
While Kelowna has no one in the leagues top 20 scoring, they boast 7 players that are scoring at a point per game or better. Forward Nick Merkley is 4th in rookie scoring with 14 points in 11 games and was recenlty named the CHL Player of The Week. Three Rockets are in the top 16 among defenseman in scoring, Riley Stadel, Madison Bowey, and Damon Severson.
Netminder Jordon Cooke has the 3rd best goals against (2.08) and save percentage (0.932) in the league. The WHL has also nominated Cooke of for the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week award. Cooke, a 20-year-old from Leduc, AB, posted a 2-0 record with a shutout in two starts over the past week for Kelowna, allowing just two goals on 49 shots for a 1.00 goals-against average and a .959 save percentage in that span.
-Marlon Martens
Victoria Royals vs Kelowna Rockets: Head To Head Stats
Summary
Description
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Result
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|
| Head to Head Record 2013-14 Regular Season | Victoria 1-0-0-0 | Kelowna 0-0-0-1 |
| Head to Head Record 2012-13 Regular Season | Victoria 1-6-0-1 | Kelowna 7-1-0-0 |
| Last 5 Years record between teams | Victoria 13-17-1-2 | Kelowna 20-8-2-3 |
| Victoria vs. Kelowna Last 5 Years record at Victoria | Victoria 6-8-1-1 | Kelowna 10-4-2-0 |
| Victoria vs. Kelowna Last 5 Years record at Kelowna | Victoria 7-9-0-1 | Kelowna 10-4-0-3 |
| Previous Meetings This Season | Victoria 4 @ Kelowna 3 (Sep 28 2013) Final SO |
How the 2 teams match up
Kelowna
|
Victoria
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|
| Team Record | 7-2-0-2 -- 16 points | 9-6-0-0 -- 18 points |
| Division Ranking | 2nd B.C. | 1st B.C. |
| Conference Ranking | 6th Western | 2nd Western |
| League Ranking | 8th | 3rd |
| Past 10 Games | 6-2-0-2 | 7-3-0-0 |
| Streak | 0-1-0-0 | 1-0-0-0 |
| Last Game | 2-1 L vs Calgary (Oct 22 2013) Final | 4-1 W @ Spokane (Oct 19 2013) Final |
| Home Record | 5-1-0-2 | 5-3-0-0 |
| Away Record | 2-1-0-0 | 4-3-0-0 |
| GF | 47 | 40 |
| GA | 30 | 38 |
| PP (Overall) | (16/68) 23.5 | (14/74) 18.9 |
| PP (Home) | (12/52) 23.1 | (9/39) 23.1 |
| PP (Away) | (4/16) 25.0 | (5/35) 14.3 |
| PK (Overall) | (5/51) 90.2 | (9/63) 85.7 |
| PK (Home) | (2/40) 95.0 | (8/42) 81.0 |
| PK (Away) | (3/11) 72.7 | (1/21) 95.2 |
| Leading Rookie | Merkley (5-9-14) | Soy (2-2-4) |
| Most PIM | Bowey - 20 | Carroll - 31 |
| Team PIM/GM | 15.5/Game | 16.4/Game |
| Leading Scorers | Baillie (6-8-14) | Nelson (8-10-18) |
| Merkley (5-9-14) | Carroll (7-6-13) | |
| Stadel (7-5-12) | Hicketts (4-5-9) | |
| Franko (2-10-12) | Magee (1-8-9) | |
| Bowey (4-7-11) | Cote (1-8-9) | |
| Last 5 Games | 2-1 L vs Calgary (Oct 22 2013) Final | 4-1 W @ Spokane (Oct 19 2013) Final |
| 3-2 W vs Prince George (Oct 19 2013) Final | 4-2 L @ Tri-City (Oct 18 2013) Final | |
| 6-0 W vs Lethbridge (Oct 16 2013) Final | 5-4 W vs Prince George (Oct 16 2013) Final | |
| 4-3 L vs Seattle (Oct 11 2013) Final SO | 3-0 W vs Prince George (Oct 14 2013) Final | |
| 6-3 L @ Spokane (Oct 8 2013) Final | 4-3 W vs Lethbridge (Oct 12 2013) Final | |
| Leading After 1st | 4-0-0-1 | 4-0-0-0 |
| Leading After 2nd | 7-0-0-2 | 6-0-0-0 |
| Tied After 1st | 2-0-0-1 | 4-1-0-0 |
| Tied After 2nd | 0-1-0-0 | 1-0-0-0 |
| Trailing After 1st | 1-2-0-0 | 1-5-0-0 |
| Trailing After 2nd | 0-1-0-0 | 2-6-0-0 |
| Out Shooting Opponents | 5-2-0-1 | 2-4-0-0 |
| Out Shot by Opponents | 2-0-0-0 | 4-2-0-0 |
| 1-Goal Games | 1-1-0-2 | 5-2-0-0 |
| 2-Goal Games | 0-0-0-0 | 1-2-0-0 |
| 3-Goal Games | 4-1-0-0 | 2-0-0-0 |
