EVERETT – The Victoria Royals wrapped up 3 pre-season games in 3 days with a 3-1 loss to the Tri City Americans at Everett’s 11th annual Holiday Inn Preseason Classic.
“It was very similar to the first two games we played, where the guys fought hard and Tri City dressed a more veteran line up…” GM Cam Hope
The Royals led 1-0 mid way through the second, with ’99 born Ryan Peckford beating Winnipeg Jets drafted goaltender Eric Comrie. The Americans added a pair and then an empty netter to seal the victory.
“We had a lead for a while, it was a close game but in the end their veteran guys came through and pulled it out for Tri City.” According to Hope
The Royals fell 1-0 to the Silvertips Friday, and 5-4 in overtime to the Thunderbirds Saturday.
Victoria dressed a much younger lineup each game, about half of the roster were first year players. The Royals did not bring any overagers on the exhibition trip.
“Wins don’t matter, we made the decision not to bring any veterans guys to put the games of this tournament on the shoulders of our young guys and give them a real test – and I thought they stood up well.” Said Hope
Victoria was without veterans Keegan Kanzig, Austin Carroll and Travis Brown who didn’t make the trip. Last seasons club scoring leader Brandon Magee is suspended while Axel Blomqvist is with the Swedish junior national team at the Four Nations tournament in Europe.
The club also battled illness as ’98 born forward and first round selection Dante Hannoun only played one game.
The veterans are expected to be worked back into the line up next weekend in the Tournament in Vancouver against Kamloops and Kelowna.
The 2014 bantam selections are heading home back to their midget teams, like first round selection defenseman Scott Walford and forward Ryan Peckford.
Reassignments will be made over the next month or so according to Hope,
“We have to be mindful of the fact that we have 6 players going to NHL camps. It gives us an opportunity to give guys a much longer look than we would normally – and that’s good.”
Netminder Michael Herringer played his second game of the weekend stopping 23 of 25, and only allowed 1 goal in the loss to Seattle. He sports a 1.53 gaa and 0.939 Sav % after 2 games.
The Royals outshot the Americans 31-26. Victoria was unable to strike on 10 power play opportunities, again without veteran scorers working the man advantage. Tri City was 0 for 3.
-Marlon Martens
PRESEASON SCHEDULE (REMAINING GAMES)
Saturday, September 6, 2014
Victoria @ Kamloops
UBC Thunderbird Arena - Vancouver, BC
3:00 p.m.
Sunday, September 7, 2014
Victoria @ Kelowna
UBC Thunderbird Arena - Vancouver, BC
1:00 p.m.
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Vancouver @ Victoria
Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre - Victoria, BC
5:05 p.m.
Saturday, September 13, 2014
Victoria @ Kelowna
Prospera Place - Kelowna, BC
7:05 p.m.
Victoria Royals 1 at Tri-City Americans 3 - Status: Final
Sunday, August 31, 2014 - Comcast Arena - Everett, WA
Victoria 0 1 0 - 1
Tri-City 0 0 3 - 3
1st Period- No Scoring.
Penalties-Topping T.c (interference), 4:57; Rutledge T.c (tripping), 5:37; Ferletak Vic (hooking), 8:59; Williams T.c (high sticking), 15:51; O'Reilly T.c (delay of game), 17:25; Hillis T.c (charging), 20:00.
2nd Period-
1, Victoria, Peckford 1 7:44.
Penalties-Peckford Vic (hooking), 11:11; James T.c (inter. on goaltender), 17:40.
3rd Period-
2, Tri-City, Topping 1 3:12.
3, Tri-City, Playfair 1 (Gutierrez), 9:43.
4, Tri-City, Marreck 1 (Southam), 19:59 (EN).
Penalties-Williams T.c (charging), 3:40; Topping T.c (hooking), 5:42; Dykstra Vic (interference), 7:53; Williams T.c (playing w/out helmet), 9:22; Southam T.c (holding), 11:43; Reddekopp Vic (roughing), 17:38; Williams T.c (roughing), 17:38; Skapski Vic (10-minute misconduct), 19:59; Hillis T.c (10-minute misconduct), 19:59.
Shots on Goal-
Victoria 8-11-12-31.
Tri-City 9-7-10-26.
Power Play Opportunities-
Victoria 0 / 10;
Tri-City 0 / 3.
Goalies-
Victoria, Herringer 0-2-0-0 (25 shots-23 saves).
Tri-City, Comrie 1-1-0-0 (31 shots-30 saves).
A-0
Referees-Duncan Brow (19), Dexter Rasmussen (25).
Linesmen-Ron Dietterle (121).
ROYALS TOPPED BY AMERICANS
Victoria drops 3-1 decision to
Tri-City.
For
Immediate Release
Sunday,
August 31, 2014
Everett, WA – The Victoria Royals could not fend
off a Tri-City Americans third period rally and fell 3-1 on Sunday afternoon at
the Silvertips 11th Annual Pre-Season Classic Tournament in Everett.
A young line-up was featured for Victoria for the third time in three
days with nine rookies participating in today's game. Rookie netminder Michael
Herringer tended the net for Victoria. The 1996 born goalie was coming off a
solid showing against Everett on Friday evening.
The Royals got on the board first early in the second period when rookie
Ryan Peckford (1999) notched his first WHL pre-season goal. Victoria would hold
the lead until Tri-City found the back of the net three times in the third
period. Jackson Playfair scored the winning goal, Jordan Topping and
Justin Marreck (empty net) had the other markers.
Herringer stopped 23 of 25 shots. The Royals put 31 shots on Tri-City
goaltender and Winnipeg Jets draftee Eric Comrie.
Victoria couldn't get a puck past Comrie on special teams as the power
play went 0/10=0.0%. The Royals did hold Tri-City off the board on the man
advantage as the Americans went 0/3 = 0.0%.
Victoria scratched 20-year-olds Brandon Magee, Austin Carroll and
Travis Brown along with regulars Keegan Kanzig, Joe Hicketts, Axel Blomqvist,
Coleman Vollrath and Taylor Crunk.
The Royals now
head to Delta, BC's Sungod Arena for games next Friday and Saturday. Victoria
will tangle with Kamloops on Saturday at 3 p.m. Before meeting the Kelowna
Rockets at 1 p.m. on Sunday in the Lower Mainland.
Season
tickets start from $414 and mini-packs from $49 are on sale now! Call
250-220-7889, visit www.victoriaroyals.com,
or head down to the Victoria Royals ticketing office at Save-On-Foods Memorial
Centre to pick up your seats and guarantee your spot at the September 26th
home opener
