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Both clubs have 8 wins in their past 10.
It’s just their 4th of 8 meetings so far this season, with the Rockets winning 2 of 3 contests. The Royals earned a home split back in November with a 4-3 overtime win, followed by a 5-3 loss. They were defeated 5-1 in Kelowna earlier in that month.
It’s the first time the clubs have meet since the Rockets acquired Oilers first round pick Leon Draisaitl (3rd overall), and the Jets first rounder, defenseman Josh Morrissey (13th overall).
Kelowna’s Morrissey and Madison Bowey along with Royals Joe Hicketts all won Gold at the World Juniors for Team Canada.
Victoria is riding a 4 game win streak after a 2-1 defeat of Edmonton Monday afternoon.
The Royals got goals from Jack Palmer, and Austin Carroll the game winner, while Justin Paulic made 34 saves. Victoria improves to (13-3-1-0) since the Christmas Break, allowing the fewest goals against in the league in that span. They remain 2nd in the BC Division and 4th in the West, 2 back of Portland and 2 up of Seattle.
Kelowna dropped a 2-1 decision in Seattle on Tuesday, snapping a 5 game win streak and points in 9 stretch (8-0-1).
Nick Merkley scored the clubs lone goal, while Matthew Barzal and Jerrett Smith on the power play got the winner for the T-birds. Former Victoria netminder Micahel Herringer made 25 saves for his first loss in 6 games. The Rockets went 0 for 6 on the power play and were without the injured Tyson Baillie, and netminder Jackson Whistle. Forward Tomas Soustal was out serving a suspension TBD acquired against the Cougars.
Kelowna is 1st in the WHL, 1 point up on Brandon, who’s ranked 3rd in the CHL Top 10.
The Rockets have allowed the fewest goals against on average per game in the league, while scoring the 2nd most. The power play is ranked 2nd, while the Royals are 6th best with the man advantage.
Kelowna is led in scoring by Top Prospect, Nick Merkley, rated 13th among North American skaters for the upcoming draft by NHL Central Scouting. Merkley has 75 points and a team leading 57 assists. Rourke Chartier, a 5th round selection of the San Jose Sharks is tied for the most goals in the league with 44, he’s second in club scoring with 73 points. Merkley and Chartier are 3rd and 4th in league scoring respectively.
The Rockets have 6 players scoring at a point per game or better, the Royals have 4.
Victoria is led by Austin Carroll’s 60 points, including 29 goals. Joe Hicketts is on a 6 game assist streak (6a) and has 49 points. Defenseman Travis Brown and Tyler Soy have 48 points a piece. Soy is ranked 152nd by NHL CSS, while reargaurd Chaz Reddekopp is 199th.
At home the Rockets are 13 over .500 (19-6-1-0), while the Royals have a chance to get back .500 on the road with a record of (12-13-0-1).
After Kelowna, Victoria plays in Kamloops Saturday and Seattle Sunday at 5pm before returning home for Hockey Hookey day Tuesday, with a 12:00 noon start against Moose Jaw.
- Marlon Martens
Victoria Royals vs Kelowna Rockets: Head To Head Stats Summary
How the 2 teams match up
Description
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Result
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| Head to Head Record 2014-15 Regular Season | Victoria 1-2-0-0 | Kelowna 2-0-1-0 |
| Head to Head Record 2013-14 Regular Season | Victoria 5-2-0-1 | Kelowna 3-4-0-1 |
| Last 5 Years record between teams | Victoria 16-15-1-3 | Kelowna 19-12-2-2 |
| Victoria vs. Kelowna Last 5 Years record at Victoria | Victoria 7-8-1-2 | Kelowna 11-5-2-0 |
| Victoria vs. Kelowna Last 5 Years record at Kelowna | Victoria 9-7-0-1 | Kelowna 8-7-0-2 |
| Previous Meetings This Season | Kelowna 5 @ Victoria 3 (Nov 19 2014) Final Kelowna 3 @ Victoria 4 (Nov 18 2014) Final OT Victoria 1 @ Kelowna 5 (Nov 5 2014) Final |
How the 2 teams match up
Kelowna
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Victoria
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| Team Record | 42-9-3-1 -- 88 points | 30-20-3-1 -- 64 points |
| Division Ranking | 1st B.C. | 2nd B.C. |
| Conference Ranking | 1st Western | 4th Western |
| League Ranking | 1st | 9th |
| Past 10 Games | 8-1-0-1 | 8-1-1-0 |
| Streak | 0-1-0-0 | 4-0-0-0 |
| Last Game | 2-1 L @ Seattle (Feb 10 2015) Final | 2-1 W vs Edmonton (Feb 9 2015) Final |
| Home Record | 19-6-1-0 | 18-7-3-0 |
| Away Record | 23-3-2-1 | 12-13-0-1 |
| GF | 238 | 186 |
| GA | 138 | 163 |
| PP (Overall) | (70/271) 25.8 | (52/234) 22.2 |
| PP (Home) | (32/128) 25.0 | (31/115) 27.0 |
| PP (Away) | (38/143) 26.6 | (21/119) 17.6 |
| PK (Overall) | (47/229) 79.5 | (46/226) 79.6 |
| PK (Home) | (21/107) 80.4 | (19/112) 83.0 |
| PK (Away) | (26/122) 78.7 | (27/114) 76.3 |
| Leading Rookie | Dube (14-5-19) | Nagy (5-6-11) |
| Most PIM | Southam - 75 | Carroll - 93 |
| Team PIM/GM | 14.7/Game | 14.4/Game |
| Leading Scorers | Merkley (17-58-75) | Carroll (29-31-60) |
| Chartier (44-29-73) | Hicketts (9-40-49) | |
| Baillie (32-27-59) | Soy (20-28-48) | |
| Kirkland (21-29-50) | Brown (16-32-48) | |
| Bowey (13-31-44) | Chase (16-30-46) | |
| Last 5 Games | 2-1 L @ Seattle (Feb 10 2015) Final | 2-1 W vs Edmonton (Feb 9 2015) Final |
| 5-2 W vs Prince George (Feb 9 2015) Final | 6-2 W vs Red Deer (Feb 7 2015) Final | |
| 5-2 W @ Kamloops (Feb 7 2015) Final | 3-2 W @ Tri-City (Jan 31 2015) Final SO | |
| 5-3 W vs Kamloops (Feb 6 2015) Final | 3-0 W @ Spokane (Jan 30 2015) Final | |
| 5-1 W @ Kootenay (Jan 31 2015) Final | 4-3 L @ Portland (Jan 28 2015) Final | |
| Leading After 1st | 25-2-2-1 | 16-3-0-0 |
| Leading After 2nd | 32-1-2-0 | 20-1-0-0 |
| Tied After 1st | 14-3-1-0 | 8-6-0-1 |
| Tied After 2nd | 6-1-1-1 | 6-3-2-0 |
| Trailing After 1st | 3-4-0-0 | 6-11-3-0 |
| Trailing After 2nd | 4-7-0-0 | 4-16-1-1 |
| Out Shooting Opponents | 28-6-0-1 | 17-6-1-0 |
| Out Shot by Opponents | 13-3-3-0 | 12-13-2-1 |
| 1-Goal Games | 8-3-3-1 | 12-7-3-1 |
| 2-Goal Games | 13-3-0-0 | 5-6-0-0 |
| 3-Goal Games | 7-3-0-0 | 5-3-0-0 |
