Tyson Baillie scored his second of the night in overtime to lift the Kelowna Rockets past the visiting Victoria Royals 4-3 Saturday and take a 2-0 playoff series lead.
The goal came just :58 seconds into the extra frame, just as the Rockets power play expired.
Brandon Magee scored his second of the night for the Royals to force overtime, after clawing back from a 3-0 deficit.
“I thought we came out and played hard,” said Head Coach Dave Lowry after his club fell 5-0 one night earlier,
“We played with a lot of emotion, we brought a lot of passion. This is what you need at playoff time, and obviously we’re disappointed with end result.”
Victoria out shot Kelowna 41-27, but Jackson Whistle made 38 saves for the win.
Coleman Vollrath started for the Royals and made 11 saves on 14 shots before Justin Paulic came in the second to go the distance, stopping 11 of 12.
Austin Carroll had 3 assists for Victoria, while Joe Hicketts chipped in with a pair. Alex Forsberg rounded out the scoring for the Royals, as his line with Carroll and Magee provided 6 points.
Leon Draisaitl also had 3 assists, while Tomas Soustal and Gage Quinney provided the other goals for the Rockets. Draisaitl now has 5 points in the two games.
Both clubs scored a pair of power play goals, Victoria was 2 for 5, while Kelowna was 2 for 8.
The Rockets led 1-0 after 20, and led 3-0 in the middle frame before Magee scored late in the second period to snap Kelowna’s home playoff shut out streak that nearly lasted 11 periods. It was the first goal the Rockets allowed on home ice during the post season.
Whistle set the franchise record for a playoff shutout streak on home ice going 218:02.
The Royals lost forward Greg Chase with a game misconduct near the end of the first, while Rockets defenseman Josh Morrissey did not return after the first period.
Victoria returns home for games 3 and 4 Tuesday and Wednesday night.
- Marlon Martens
Victoria Royals 3 at Kelowna Rockets 4 (OT) - Status: Final OT
Saturday, April 11, 2015 - Prospera Place - Kelowna, BC
Victoria 0 1 2 0 - 3
Kelowna 1 2 0 1 - 4
1st Period-
1, Kelowna, Baillie 4 (Draisaitl, Morrissey), 18:44 (PP).
Penalties-Gagnon Vic (checking to the head), 2:31; Magee Vic (slashing), 3:43; Brown Vic (slashing), 7:13; Morrissey Kel (cross checking), 9:40; Brown Vic (cross checking), 18:25; Chase Vic (game misconduct, 10-minute misconduct), 18:44.
2nd Period-
2, Kelowna, Soustal 3 (Martin, Braid), 4:11.
3, Kelowna, Quinney 3 (Draisaitl, Bowey), 11:16 (PP).
4, Victoria, Magee 7 (Carroll, Hicketts), 18:02 (PP).
Penalties-Goulbourne Kel (high sticking), 1:05; Hicketts Vic (roughing), 4:45; Walker Vic (hooking), 7:16; Brown Vic (delay of game), 10:32; Goulbourne Kel (holding), 12:16; Fushimi Vic (cross checking), 16:27; Baillie Kel (slashing), 16:27; Merkley Kel (inter. on goaltender), 17:04.
3rd Period-
5, Victoria, Forsberg 2 (Hicketts, Carroll), 7:31 (PP).
6, Victoria, Magee 8 (Carroll, Walker), 18:26.
Penalties-Braid Kel (cross checking), 6:35; Walker Vic (embellishment), 8:48; Gatenby Kel (interference), 8:48; Reddekopp Vic (checking from behind), 18:56.
OT Period-
7, Kelowna, Baillie 5 (Draisaitl, Merkley), 0:58.
Penalties-No Penalties
Shots on Goal-
Victoria 14-11-16-0-41.
Kelowna 7-9-10-1-27.
Power Play Opportunities-
Victoria 2 / 5;
Kelowna 2 / 8.
Goalies-
Victoria, Vollrath 4-2-0-0 (15 shots-12 saves); Paulic 0-0-1-0 (12 shots-11 saves). Kelowna, Whistle 5-0-0-0 (41 shots-38 saves).
A-5,473
Referees-Reagan Vetter (39), Nathan Wieler (18).
Linesmen-Ron Dietterle (121), Nathan Van Oosten (115).
