Recap: VIC 2 - KAM 1

Patrik Polivka made 42 saves as the visiting Victoria Royals (14-10-0-1, 29pts) beat the Kamloops Blazers 2-1 Tuesday night.

Patrik Polivka stops Souto on a 2 on 1

Tyler Soy (5th) and Steven Hodges (1st) scored on back to back man advantages in the first period, on their only 2 power plays of the game to even the season series at a game a piece.

Polivka Star #1 42 saves

“We talked about (the power play) before the game started, that it was going to be key tonight that we were going to have to win the special teams game…we had 2 chances and capatilized on it.” – Head Coach Dave Lowry

They’ll meet again for back to back games on the Island Friday and Saturday.  The Blazers (6-15-2-1, 15pts) are now winless in 6 (0-4-1-0).  The Royals take sole possession of 6th in the West, one up on the Thunderbirds.

“We got the start that we wanted, and I give them a lot of credit, they fought right until the end and we held on for dear life.” Quipped Lowry

Polivka earned first star honours with his 9th win of the season, while Taran Kozun allowed 2 goals on 35 Royals shots.

“The challenge to him (Polivka) was to find a way to win a hockey game and be better.  He’s had a real good push from Coleman Vollrath…he has to earn the right to stay in the net, and he did that.” Said Lowry

Chase Souto scored the lone goal for the Blazers late in the 2nd, also on the power play snapping Victoria's string of 29 straight penalty kills on the road.

There was no scoring in the third as both netminders were tested several times.  Polivka robbed Souto on a 2 on 1, while Brandon Fushimi was stone walled by Kozun on a 2 on 0 shorthanded breakaway with Logan Fisher.

“You’d like to see your team continue to push and and not rely on your first period goals to win a hockey game but that was the case tonight.”  According to Lowry

Victoria was 2 for 2 with the man advantage, while Kamloops was 1 for 3.

Following the game, the Royals announced a trade with the Blazers, sending ’95 born forward Luke Harrison to Kamloops for a sixth round pick in 2014. 

Hodges on if he’ll miss Harrison, “Absolutely, he was a good buddy of mine, tough to see him go…but it’s the name of the game and you have to move on.”

The West Kelowna, BC native spent the past three seasons with the Royals.  In his three years with Victoria, Harrison logged 92 regular season games in which he recorded six points (4g-2a), 51 penalty minutes and a minus-27 rating.

“You get an opportunity to bring some younger guys maybe into your line up, and with us right now moving forward we had a chance, and Kamloops wanted to add a couple players and give us a deal that Cam (Hope) felt would benefit us long term.” Said Lowry on the deal.

Defenseman Keegan Kanzig returned the line up after missing the last 4, and got into a fight with Ryan Rehill.  Victoria was without 20 year old defenseman Jordan Fransoo (upper, 4-5 weeks), and still without Joe Hicketts (upper, indefinite) and Jack Walker (illness, 1-2 weeks).

Austin Carroll tries to get past the defenseman

Affiliate player forward Matthew Campese played one of his five games as a call up from the Okanagan Hockey Academy, it was his 2nd WHL game.

Victoria wraps up their 2 game BC Division road trip in Kelowna against the Rockets who won 4-3 in a shoot out on the road in Seattle Tuesday, extending their win streak to 9 games.

- Marlon Martens

Victoria Royals 2 at Kamloops Blazers 1 - Status: Final
Tuesday, November 19, 2013 - Interior Savings Centre - Kamloops, BC

Victoria 2 0 0 - 2
Kamloops 0 1 0 - 1

1st Period-
1, Victoria, Soy 5 (Nelson), 6:33 (PP).
2, Victoria, Hodges 1 (Cote), 16:04 (PP).

Penalties-Connolly Kam (holding), 6:06; Kanzig Vic (interference), 10:06; Sterzer Kam (interference), 15:22; Carroll Vic (roughing), 16:04; Harlacher Kam (roughing), 16:04.

2nd Period-
3, Kamloops, Souto 15 (Ully, Needham), 18:56 (PP).

Penalties-Kanzig Vic (major-fighting), 17:20; Rehill Kam (major-fighting), 17:20; Palmer Vic (high sticking), 18:36.

3rd Period-
No Scoring.

Penalties-Palmer Vic (holding), 2:25.

Shots on Goal-
Victoria 15-11-9-35.
Kamloops 13-16-14-43.

Power Play Opportunities-
Victoria 2 / 2; Kamloops 1 / 3.

Goalies-
Victoria, Polivka 9-8-0-0 (43 shots-42 saves).
Kamloops, Kozun 1-9-2-0 (35 shots-33 saves).

A-3,744
Referees-Jeff Ingram (82), Brett Iverson (24).
Linesmen-Ryan Gibbons (73), Bevan Mills (98).