Recap: VIC 3 - MH 4 SOL

Austin Carroll scored a pair of third period goals to help the Victoria Royals (21-13-0-2, 44pts) earn a point in a 4-3 shoot out loss in Medicine Hat Saturday.

Blomqvist is denied by Wapple

Trailing 3-1 in the third, Carroll scored his team leading 16th and 17th goals to force overtime which solved nothing.

“I got a couple nice feeds from Blomqvist and Skapski, and the puck just happened to bounce in…” 

-Austin Carroll on his 2 goals to tie the game. 

Polivka stops Valk's one timer

“We worked hard the rest of the game to get that goal to put us on top, but it didn’t work and we got a point…we’ve got to take some positives from this game.”

In the shoot out, Daniel Wapple denied both Ben Walker and Axel Blomqvist, while Curtis Valk and Miles Koules scored, and Tommy Vannelli was stopped by Patrik Polivka.

“I liked our resiliency, we got behind the 8-ball and our guys stayed with what we wanted to do.  We got pucks to the net, pushed the game to overtime, unfortunately lost in the shoot out tonight.” – Royals Head Coach Dave Lowry

Polivka stopped Valk on a shorthanded breakaway

Victoria remains even on their 5 game road trip with a 1-1-0-1 record after a 4-3 overtime victory in Swift Current Thursday and 3-2 loss at Vancouver Tuesday.

Lowry calls a Time Out

With the point, the Royals move into a tie for 4th in the West, after a Thunderbird loss against the Winterhawks Saturday.

“We don’t have a great record when we don’t score the first goal, but I really liked the way we came and competed right to the end.”  Said Lowry

The club hit the half way point of the season, with an 8 game over .500 record and 44 points (21-13-0-2), on pace to exceed their 35 win, 77 point record from last season.

Royals 16 year old defenseman Chaz Reddekopp scored his first WHL goal while adding an assist. 

“It was awesome, it was a good feeling to get the boys back in it there – just lucky it went in.”  said Reddekopp on his first goal.

“He’s going to be a real good player in this league for a long time.  It was nice to see him finally get rewarded…” said Lowry on Reddekopp

Tyler Cox had a goal and assist for the Tigers, while Curtis Valk and Tyler Lewington added singles.

Patrik Polivka kept Victoria in the game making 36 saves, while Daniel Wapple kicked out 34 shots.

Victoria was 0/3 on the power play, while Medicine Hat went 1 for 4.

In the first, Patrik Polivka made an outstanding save on Steven Owre, who also hit the post in the period.  Daniel Wapple stopped Steven Hodges on a breakaway.

The Tigers jumped to a 2-0 lead late with goals 1:36 apart.  Trevor Cox found the top corner for his 9th of the year, while Curtis Valk added his 14th with just 1:10 to go in the first. 

Reddekopp notched his first to cut the lead in half early in the second, but Lewington’s power play marker restored the 2 goal lead heading into the third.

Playing in just his second game with the Royals, Brendan Oleksyn fought Blake Penner early in the third period which seemed to spark his teammates.

“I think that was probably one of the big keys, he emotionally got invested and was a difference maker.  I like the fact that he took it upon himself but I also liked the fact that our guys really went after it after that, and found a way to get a lift.”  Said Lowry on Oleskyn tilt.

Medicine Hat was without World Junior participants Hunter Shinkaruk, netminder Marek Langhamer of the Czech Republic and forward Markus Eisenchmid of Germany.

Victoria was without 5 regulars in the line up. Brandon Magee served the the final of a two game suspension.  Logan Nelson (upper 7-10 days) along with defensemen Jordan Fransoo (upper, 2 weeks), Joe Hicketts (upper, indefinite) and forward Jack Walker (illness, day to day).

The Royals are now 1-2 in shoot outs and have a record of 3-13-0-1 when trailing after 40 minutes.

Victoria’s 10 day road trip continues Sunday afternoon with a 1pm puck drop in Lethbridge, and wrap up 5 games in 8 nights Tuesday at Edmonton.

-Marlon Martens

Victoria Royals 3 at Medicine Hat Tigers 4 (SO) - Status: End of Game SO
Saturday, December 14, 2013 - Medicine Hat Arena

Victoria 0 1 2 0 - 3
Medicine Hat 2 1 0 0 - 4

1st Period-
1, Medicine Hat, Cox 9 (Sanford), 17:14.
2, Medicine Hat, Valk 14 (Doty, Vannelli), 18:50.

Penalties-served by Vic (too many men), 11:51.

2nd Period-
3, Victoria, Reddekopp 1   3:20.
4, Medicine Hat, Lewington 5 (Cox, Stanton), 8:00 (PP).

Penalties-Koules M.h (tripping), 1:15; Schacher Vic (elbowing), 6:06; Allan M.h (boarding), 9:29; Carroll Vic (roughing), 16:01; Lewington M.h (roughing), 16:01; Stanton M.h (hooking), 16:38; Carroll Vic (slashing), 19:19.

3rd Period-
5, Victoria, Carroll 16 (Blomqvist), 8:02.
6, Victoria, Carroll 17 (Skapski, Reddekopp), 9:35.

Penalties-Oleksyn Vic (major-fighting), 3:17; Penner M.h (major-fighting), 3:17; Skapski Vic (inter. on goaltender), 5:40.

OT Period-
No Scoring.

Penalties-No Penalties

Shootout –
Victoria 0 (Walker NG, Blomqvist NG),
Medicine Hat 2 (Valk G, Vannelli NG, Koules G).

Shots on Goal-
Victoria 9-12-11-5-0-37.
Medicine Hat 14-15-6-4-1-40.

Power Play Opportunities-
Victoria 0 / 3;
Medicine Hat 1 / 4.

Goalies-
Victoria, Polivka 15-9-0-1 (39 shots-36 saves).
Medicine Hat, Wapple 11-6-1-0 (37 shots-34 saves).

A-4,006
Referees-Chris Schlenker (90), Chad Williams (60).
Linesmen-Reid Anderson (53), Matthew Sanders (70).