Pregame show at 5:40, puck drop at 6 on The Zone @ 91.3 fm or www.thezone.fm/whl
Tonight is the return of Victoria’s leading scorer from last season, Brandon Magee who has finished serving his 12 game suspension.
Montreal Canadiens draft pick, F Tim Bozon didn‘t make his return Friday due to a lower-body injury. Bozon's status is considered day-to-day according to the Daily Townsman in Cranbrook. In 63 games with Kamloops and Kootenay in the WHL in 2013-14, Bozon collected 69 points (33 goals, 36 assists).
Last season the Royals blanked the visiting Ice 3-0 on December 3rd. Carroll, Magee and Nelson got the goals for Victoria who’s power play went 2 for 3.
Victoria is 3-2 on the road trip which started with a 3-2 win in Calgary, 8-2 loss in Medicine Hat, 6-5 overtime win at Red Deer, and 3-2 loss in Edmonton.
Friday night Axel Blomqvist scored twice to lead the Royals past the Hurricanes 4-2. Tyler Soy broke a 2-2 third period tie, and Blomqvist added another just :37 seconds later. Jack Walker and Soy had a goal and an assist each, while Joe Hicketts was the number star with 2 assists. Coleman Vollrath earned the win with 20 saves.
The Kootenay Ice shut out the visiting Regina Pats 1-0 Friday night snapping a 4 game losing skid. Wyatt Hoflin made 34 saves, and Troy Murray's second period power-play goal held up. Murray, is the younger brother of Columbus Blue Jackets D Ryan Murray. Murray's tally was also a WHL first as Kootenay improved to 2-0 on home ice this season.
Hoflin recorded his first career WHL shutout, as the the Ice were outshot 34-16 on the night. He improved his record to 3-4-0 with a 3.22 goals-against average and .911 save percentage.
The Ice had a short bench as five defencemen and 11 forwards dressed.
Tim Bozon, Vince Loschiavo and Rinat Valiev also missed the game due to injury. Valiev, the Leafs 3rd round pick, missed his ninth game with a lower-body injury.
The Ice were also without defencemen Bryan Allbee and Dylan Overdyk, as well as forward Jared Legien. The trio missed Friday's game, due to team-imposed suspensions after violating team rules at Mount Baker High School earlier this week.
Thursday Team WHL for the 2014 Subway Super Series was announced, with Victoria defenseman, Joe Hicketts making roster. Team WHL will be coached by Royals bench boss Dave Lowry, who will also serve as Assistant Coach for Team Canada at the World Juniors. Team WHL will face Team Russia November 10th and 11th in Saskatoon and Brandon respectively.
Hicketts becomes the fifth player from the Royals’ franchise to play in the SUBWAY ® Super Series. Forward Steven Hodges played for Team WHL in 2012, while forwards Kevin Sundher, Ryan Howse and Mark Santorelli competed at the event in 2011, 2010 and 2007, respectively.
Hicketts is 2nd in defenseman scoring in the league with 13 points in 10 games, 2 back of the Rockets Madison Bowey.
Kootenay forward Jaedon Descheneau, the Blues 5th round pick, made his 200th career WHL regular season appearance Friday. The 19 year-old was named to Team WHL for the second consecutive season for the the upcoming Subway Super Series against Russia earlier in the week.
After playing Kootenay, Victoria travels home to open a 5 game homestand with a pair against the Vancouver Giants next Friday and Saturday.
- Marlon Martens
KOOTENAY DRAFTED PLAYERS:
RINAT VALIEV - Toronto Maple Leafs (3rd Round, 2014 NHL Draft),
JAEDON DESCHENEAU - St. Louis Blues (5th Round, 2014 NHL Draft),
TANNER FAITH – Minnesota Wild (5th Round, 2014 NHL Draft).
How the 2 teams match up
Kootenay
|
Victoria
| |
| Team Record | 3-6-0-0 -- 6 points | 5-6-1-0 -- 11 points |
| Division Ranking | 5th Central | 4th B.C. |
| Conference Ranking | 9th Eastern | 6th Western |
| League Ranking | 18th | 12th |
| Past 10 Games | 3-6-0-0 | 5-4-1-0 |
| Streak | 1-0-0-0 | 1-0-0-0 |
| Last Game | 1-0 W vs Regina (Oct 17 2014) Final | 4-2 W @ Lethbridge (Oct 17 2014) Final |
| Home Record | 2-0-0-0 | 2-1-1-0 |
| Away Record | 1-6-0-0 | 3-5-0-0 |
| GF | 20 | 37 |
| GA | 34 | 49 |
| PP (Overall) | (5/33) 15.2 | (13/67) 19.4 |
| PP (Home) | (1/6) 16.7 | (4/20) 20.0 |
| PP (Away) | (4/27) 14.8 | (9/47) 19.1 |
| PK (Overall) | (7/37) 81.1 | (14/63) 77.8 |
| PK (Home) | (0/4) 100.0 | (4/16) 75.0 |
| PK (Away) | (7/33) 78.8 | (10/47) 78.7 |
| Leading Rookie | (0-0-0) | Hannoun (1-2-3) |
| Most PIM | Steenbergen - 20 | Crunk - 36 |
| Team PIM/GM | 14.3/Game | 20.2/Game |
| Leading Scorers | Descheneau (5-3-8) | Carroll (8-6-14) |
| Philp (4-3-7) | Hicketts (4-9-13) | |
| Zborosky (2-3-5) | Walker (5-7-12) | |
| Murray (1-4-5) | Soy (4-7-11) | |
| Fleury (0-5-5) | Brown (2-7-9) | |
| Last 5 Games | 1-0 W vs Regina (Oct 17 2014) Final | 4-2 W @ Lethbridge (Oct 17 2014) Final |
| 5-0 L @ Swift Current (Oct 10 2014) Final | 3-2 L @ Edmonton (Oct 15 2014) Final | |
| 3-1 L @ Moose Jaw (Oct 9 2014) Final | 6-5 W @ Red Deer (Oct 14 2014) Final OT | |
| 5-4 L @ Regina (Oct 8 2014) Final | 8-2 L @ Medicine Hat (Oct 11 2014) Final | |
| 6-4 L @ Calgary (Oct 4 2014) Final | 3-2 W @ Calgary (Oct 10 2014) Final | |
| Leading After 1st | 1-2-0-0 | 2-1-0-0 |
| Leading After 2nd | 1-1-0-0 | 1-1-0-0 |
| Tied After 1st | 2-2-0-0 | 1-0-0-0 |
| Tied After 2nd | 1-2-0-0 | 2-0-0-0 |
| Trailing After 1st | 0-2-0-0 | 2-5-1-0 |
| Trailing After 2nd | 1-3-0-0 | 2-5-1-0 |
| Out Shooting Opponents | 0-0-0-0 | 3-1-1-0 |
| Out Shot by Opponents | 3-6-0-0 | 2-5-0-0 |
| 1-Goal Games | 2-1-0-0 | 3-1-1-0 |
| 2-Goal Games | 1-3-0-0 | 1-2-0-0 |
| 3-Goal Games | 0-0-0-0 | 0-1-0-0 |
