Recap: SEA 3 - VIC 1, Sat. Nov. 16

The Victoria Royals (13-10-0-1, 27pts) settled for a split against the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds (12-8-1-2, 27pts)  falling 3-1 Saturday night, after a 2-1 overtime victory the night before.

“We started ok, but we put ourselves behind the eight-ball, and we didn’t really execute our game plan the way we wanted too or the way we did last night.”  – Royals Head Coach Dave Lowry

Ryan Gagnon blocks an Adam Henry point shot

The Thunderbirds snapped a winless in 6 slide, while ending the Royals 3 game win streak.

“We knew we were going to see a different hockey team, and they were going to come in and push the pace and try and elevate their physicality early and sure enough they did.”  According to Lowry.

Saturday night the Thunderbirds led 1-0 after 20, and 2-1 after 40 minutes.  Justin Hickman openend the scoring on the power play, snapping Victoria’s 4 game streak of not allowing a short handed goal. 

Austin Carroll replied in the 2nd with his 10th, converting on a loose puck which got past Danny Mumaugh on a dump in.  Jamien Yakubowski restored the lead with the eventual game winner in the middle frame before Roberts Lipsbergs added his 12th into the empty net.

Defenseman Isaac Schacher now has assists in back to back games for Victoria.

The Royals were 0 for 4 on the power play, while stopping 6 of 7 T-bird man advantages.

“Take 7 penalties, and you’re not going to give yourself and opportunity to win…it got away from us, we took some unnecessary and undiscplined penalties…” Said Lowry,  “Your penalty killers, your top players that you use are going to get worn out – and playing back to back nights that was the case.”

Ryan Gagnon fights Jared Hauff

Coleman Vollrath had his personal 3 game win streak snapped, kicking out 24 shots, while Mumaugh playing in back to back games, earned his 6th win of the year with 23 stops.

Victoria was without defenseman Keegan Kanzig (upper, day to day) who’s missed 4 straight, Joe Hicketts (upper, indefinitely) and Jack Walker (illness).  Landon Welykholowa did not dress.  The T-birds did not dress Matthew Barzal.

There was one fight between Ryan Gagnon and Jared Hauff, coming in the second period.

With the victory, the T-birds pull into a tie for 6th in the West with the Royals at 27 points each.  They’ll meet one final time at Seattle November 30th, with Victoria up 2-1 in the season series.

Up next Victoria embarks on a two game BC Division road trip with stops in Kamloops Tuesday and Kelowna Wednesday before returing for a pair against the Blazers.

-Marlon Martens


Seattle Thunderbirds 3 at Victoria Royals 1 - Status: Final
Saturday, November 16, 2013 - Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena - Victoria, BC

Seattle 1 1 1 - 3
Victoria 0 1 0 - 1

1st Period-
1, Seattle, Hickman 6 (Henry, Troock), 4:34 (PP).

Penalties-Wardley Sea (interference), 0:13; Schacher Vic (hooking), 3:58; Magee Vic (interference), 9:21; Yakubowski Sea (hooking), 20:00.

2nd Period-
2, Victoria, Carroll 10 (Schacher), 5:35.
3, Seattle, Yakubowski 3 (Troock), 10:22.

Penalties-Crunk Vic (tripping), 3:00; Elliot Sea (tripping), 6:10; Crunk Vic (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 11:44; Fransoo Vic (boarding, boarding), 12:31; Hauf Sea (major-fighting), 16:49; Gagnon Vic (major-fighting), 16:49.

3rd Period-
4, Seattle, Lipsbergs 12 (McKechnie), 18:59 (EN).

Penalties-Holub Sea (hooking), 2:22; Crunk Vic (delay of game), 15:35.

Shots on Goal-
Seattle 11-7-9-27.
Victoria 9-8-8-25.

Power Play Opportunities-
Seattle 1 / 7;
Victoria 0 / 4.

Goalies-
Seattle, Mumaugh 6-4-1-2 (25 shots-24 saves).
Victoria, Vollrath 5-2-0-1 (26 shots-24 saves).

A-5,073
Referees-Ryan Benbow (62), Matt Kirk (4).
Linesmen-Riley Friesen (76), Kirk Van Helvoirt (107).