“We didn’t like the final score but I’ll take the way our group stuck together tonight and move forward.” – Royals Head Coach Dave Lowry
The Royals had their two game win streak snapped, and fall to a record of (3-5-1-0), while the Tigers who are the 6th ranked team in the CHL, improve to 8-1 with their 5th straight victory.
Victoria trailed 2-1 after 20, and 4-2 after 40, and were out shot 14-6 in the final frame as Medicine Hat scored four more including two on the power play.
The Tigers special teams came through going 4 for 11 with the man advantage, including a short handed marker. The Royals were unable to connect on 7 power plays in an emotionally charged game.
“We don’t like those guys, there’s no secret there…” said Lowry, “Our guys play the game the right way…they have a team that has a lot of speed and skill but I don’t like the way that some of their guys play. They have some big guys that like to take advantage, and liberties on some of smaller players and I thought our older, bigger guys they stood up, and tried to challenge their guys and we ended up losing the special teams game.”
Netminder Coleman Vollrath stopped 31 of 39 in the loss, while Marek Langhammer only allowed two goals on 22 shots.
Dante Hannoun was taken into the Royals open gate by Fischer of the Rebels and did not return.
“Go figure that out…we play straight up and we played hard. One thing we’ll learn from this playing these guys is they come and they come hard and finish their checks - It doesn’t matter so…We do see them one more time and we’ll be more disciplined team, and we will remember plays like that.” said Lowry on the Hannoun hit.
Chad Butcher led the way with 2 goals and an assist, while Markus Eisenschmid also had a three point night, with a goal and two helpers. In total eight players had multiple point nights for Medicine Hat.
Jack Walker and Austin Carroll had a goal and an assist each for Victoria.
“We battled until the end tonight, but things didn’t go our way and I think our power play has to be better. Being a team on the road we have to be better in the first two periods.” Said Walker.
Carroll extends his league leading goal scoring streak to 6 games with 6 goals. His point streak is now at 7 games with 6 goals and 4 assists.
Taylor Crunk fought Connor Hobbs in the second period.
“It was an emotionally filled game, that’s one part of the game that we did like,” said Crunk, “…the end result is nothing near what we wanted to be. In the end it’s a learning experience, It’s a game that brings a team closer together if anything.”
The Royals are 1-1 on their six game Central Division road trip after opening with a 3-2 come from behind victory in Calgary Friday. Up next they play in Red Deer Tuesday, Edmonton Wednesday and Lethbridge and Kootenay Friday and Saturday.
Victoria has two days to regroup before heading into Red Deer, according to Lowry,
“We’ll re-energize, refocus and get back to understanding our strengths will be our discipline and our pace.”
-Marlon Martens
Victoria Royals 2 at Medicine Hat Tigers 8 - Status: In Progress (2:27 remaining in 3rd)
Saturday, October 11, 2014 - Medicine Hat Arena
Victoria 1 1 0 - 2
Medicine Hat 2 2 4 - 8
1st Period-
1, Medicine Hat, Butcher 6 (Eisenschmid, Schultz), 1:39.
2, Medicine Hat, Sanford 6 (Cox, Stanton), 8:52 (SH).
3, Victoria, Carroll 6 (Walker, Soy), 15:22.
Penalties-Kanzig Vic (holding), 6:47; M.h (too many men), 7:37; Vannelli M.h (high sticking), 9:52; Hannoun Vic (hooking), 11:20; Penner M.h (holding opp. stick), 15:43; Nagy Vic (holding opp. stick), 19:26; Fisher Vic (tripping), 19:46.
2nd Period-
4, Medicine Hat, Vannelli 3 (Sanford, Cox), 0:55 (PP).
5, Victoria, Walker 3 (Kanzig, Carroll), 2:28.
6, Medicine Hat, Becker 4 (Vannelli, Owre), 5:36 (PP).
Penalties-Carroll Vic (checking to the head), 4:16; Fisher Vic (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 7:10; Sanford M.h (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 7:10; Gagnon Vic (major-fighting), 7:44; Hobbs M.h (roughing, major-fighting), 7:44; Brown Vic (hooking), 12:35; Crunk Vic (major-fighting), 20:00; Lewington M.h (major-fighting), 20:00.
3rd Period-
7, Medicine Hat, Quenneville 1 (Stanton, Eisenschmid), 1:45 (PP).
8, Medicine Hat, Butcher 7 (Owre, Hobbs), 3:56.
9, Medicine Hat, Eisenschmid 5 (Butcher), 10:33.
10, Medicine Hat, Mowbray 3 (Penner, Schultz), 12:39 (PP).
Penalties-Walker Vic (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 0:07; Nagy Vic (roughing), 2:47; Eisenschmid M.h (roughing), 2:47; Hobbs M.h (interference), 5:21; Carroll Vic (slashing, roughing), 6:06; Becker M.h (roughing), 6:06; Vannelli M.h (roughing, unsportsmanlike cnd.), 6:26; Crunk Vic (roughing, 10-minute misconduct), 11:23; Hicketts Vic (cross checking), 13:48; Kanzig Vic (roughing), 16:50.
Shots on Goal-
Victoria 8-8-6-22.
Medicine Hat 14-11-14-39.
Power Play Opportunities-
Victoria 0 / 7;
Medicine Hat 4 / 11.
Goalies-
Victoria, Vollrath 3-4-1-0 (39 shots-31 saves).
Medicine Hat, Langhamer 4-1-0-0 (22 shots-20 saves).
A-4,006
Referees-Kevin Bennett (29), Chris Schlenker (9).
Linesmen-Matthew Sanders (70), Scott Sharun (103).
