Recap: VIC 2 - VAN 3

Logan Nelson had 2 assists, but Payton Lee made 41 saves the Vancouver Giants edged the visiting Victoria Royals 3-2 Wednesday night.

The loss snapped the Royals 6 game win streak, but take the season series with a 5-4-0-1 record.

Payton Lee was the #1 star

Victoria  (48-18-1-3, 100pts) outshot Vancouver 21-4 in a scoreless first period, and 43-23 overall. 

Steven Hodges 20th opened the scoring early in the second, but the Giants responded with a pair before the period was out.  Dalton Sward tied it up on an individual effort, before Jackson Houck tipped in a point shot with the man advantage.

In the third Vancouver went up 3-1 on Trent Lofthouse’s power play marker.

Austin Carroll responded with his team leading 34th, also on the power play late to get Victoria close, but were unable to find the equalizer.

Carroll scores his team leading 34th.

The Giants were 2 for 3 with the extra man, while the Royals went 1 for 5.

Coleman Vollrath made 20 saves on 23 shots, while Payton Lee allowed just 2 goals on 43 shots.

Victoria has 2 regular season games remaining and need 2 wins to hit a 50 win campaign.  They’ve locked up 3rd in the West, and await their 6th seed opponent yet to be determined.

Houck scores on the power play

Up next they’ll face the 6th place Silvertips in a home and home beginning on the Island on Friday night and wrap up the season Saturday in Everett.

-Marlon Martens

Victoria Royals 2 at Vancouver Giants 3 - Status: Final
Wednesday, March 12, 2014 - Pacific Coliseum - Vancouver, BC

Victoria 0 1 1 - 2
Vancouver 0 2 1 - 3

1st Period-
No Scoring.

Penalties-Walker Vic (roughing), 6:26; Sward Van (cross checking), 6:26; Kulak Van (tripping), 6:52; Blomqvist Vic (slashing), 18:56; Sward Van (roughing), 18:56.

2nd Period-
1, Victoria, Hodges 20 (Nelson), 1:13.
2, Vancouver, Sward 18   6:23.
3, Vancouver, Lofthouse 11 (Kulak, Popoff), 15:39 (PP).

Penalties-Oleksyn Vic (major-fighting), 5:59; Foster Van (major-fighting), 5:59; Blomqvist Vic (roughing), 10:40; Dosanjh Van (roughing), 10:40; Popoff Van (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 10:40; Oleksyn Vic (kneeing), 14:46; Hamilton Van (tripping), 16:37; Hodges Vic (slashing), 18:11.

3rd Period-
4, Vancouver, Lofthouse 12 (Kulak, Popoff), 15:23 (PP).
5, Victoria, Carroll 34 (Nelson, Hodges), 17:18 (PP).

Penalties-Atwal Van (checking from behind), 12:58; Hodges Vic (interference), 13:52; Geertsen Van (holding), 16:41; Cote Vic (roughing), 17:13; Traber Van (roughing), 17:13.

Shots on Goal-
Victoria 21-10-12-43.
Vancouver 4-14-5-23.

Power Play Opportunities-
Victoria 1 / 5; Vancouver 2 / 3.

Goalies-
Victoria, Vollrath 20-7-1-1 (23 shots-20 saves).
Vancouver, Lee 19-19-3-3 (43 shots-41 saves).

A-5,886
Referees-Ryan Benbow (62), Jason Nissen (91).
Linesmen-Jacob Hill (122), Justin Hull (49).