“Not good enough this time of year,” said Royals Head Coach Dave Lowry,
“I was expecting our team to come out and have a little bit more energy and little bit more urgency tonight, for whatever reason we got behind, we didn’t push we didn’t elevate and when we got our push it was too late.”
The Thunderbirds earned 3 points on their visit to the Island to move one point ahead of the Royals (34-26-3-1, 72pts) for 4th in the West.
Joe Hicketts scored the lone goal for Victoria, while Coleman Vollrath made 22 saves it the loss.
Seattle led 2-0 after 20 minutes, and 3-0 after 40, on goals by Cory Millette and Theodore who also added two assists. Jerrett Smith put up the visitors by three in the middle frame.
After Hicketts added his second in as many nights, Nolan Volcan restored the three goal cushion with 6 minutes to play and snapped the Thunderbirds 4 game winless skid.
Matthew Barzal chipped in with a pair of helpers, and Jerret Smith had a goal and an assist.
Both clubs went 1 for 4 on the power play.
Victoria outshot Seattle 30-26. Taran Kozun was the 2nd star with 29 saves.
The Royals earned a 3-2 shoot out win one night earlier.
Victoria’s record in the season series is 2-2, while Seattle is 2-1-0-1.
With 8 games left in the regular season, the Royals begin a 4 game road trip with a pair of games against the Cougars in Prince George Friday and Saturday.
- Marlon Martens
ROYALS TOPPED BY THUNDERBIRDS
Victoria falls 4-1 to Seattle in second game of back-to-back.
For Immediate Release
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Victoria, BC- The Victoria Royals surrendered the game’s first three goals in a 4-1 defeat to the Seattle Thunderbirds on Tuesday night at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.
The Thunderbirds jumped out to a 3-0 lead with goals by Cory Millette, Shea Theodore and Jerret Smith en route to the victory. Seattle’s Nolan Volcan notched the contest’s final goal. Victoria’s Joe Hicketts would tally the lone marker for the home side.
Royals’ goaltender Coleman Vollrath got the nod for the second time in as many nights, and turned aside 22 of 26 shots. Seattle netminder Taran Kozun stopped 29 of the 30 shots he faced in the win.
Both Victoria and Seattle would go 1/4=25% with the man advantage.
The Royals will now head out on a four game road trip beginning in Prince George for two contests against the Cougars on Friday and Saturday. Victoria will cap off the road swing with stops in Kelowna against the Rockets on Wednesday, March 11th and Vancouver vs. the Giants on Friday, March 13th.
Victoria will then return home the following night for a two-game set against the Vancouver Giants on Saturday, March 14th and Sunday, March 15th.
Cheer your Royals on until the final whistle by getting a 2015 Playoff Pack. A $75 deposit before March 14th will guarantee you a spot at every home game, plus the season ticket holder rate of up to 30% savings on your tickets. Book by March 3rd to qualify for an early bird incentive of a complimentary ticket to the Royals Awards Ceremony on March 22nd at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre. Full details are available at www.victoriaroyals.com/playoffs.
Seattle Thunderbirds 4 at Victoria Royals 1 - Status: Final
Tuesday, March 3, 2015 - Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena - Victoria, BC
Seattle 2 1 1 - 4
Victoria 0 0 1 - 1
1st Period-
1, Seattle, Millette 19 (Barzal, Lipsbergs), 1:13.
2, Seattle, Theodore 11 17:03.
Penalties-Crunk Vic (charging), 2:45; Pederson Sea (tripping), 17:23.
2nd Period-
3, Seattle, Smith 10 (Barzal, Theodore), 8:50 (PP).
Penalties-Hauf Sea (hooking), 2:57; Chase Vic (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 7:40; Magee Vic (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 8:50; Fisher Vic (hooking), 9:10; Spencer Sea (roughing), 12:26; Chase Vic (high sticking), 12:26.
3rd Period-
4, Victoria, Hicketts 11 (Soy, Fushimi), 2:08 (PP).
5, Seattle, Volcan 8 (Theodore, Smith), 13:56.
Penalties-Gropp Sea (slashing), 1:50; Gropp Sea (slashing), 9:52.
Shots on Goal-
Seattle 9-8-9-26.
Victoria 10-9-11-30.
Power Play Opportunities-
Seattle 1 / 4;
Victoria 1 / 4.
Goalies-
Seattle, Kozun 29-17-4-4 (30 shots-29 saves).
Victoria, Vollrath 24-14-3-1 (26 shots-22 saves).
A-4,361
Referees-Ryan Benbow (62), Jeff Ingram (82).
Linesmen-Riley Friesen (76), Jeff McAdams (90).
