Recap: MH 1 - VIC 3

The Victoria Royals (18-8-1-1, 38pts) scored twice in the third period to snap a 1-1 tie and go to defeat the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers 3-1 Tuesday night.

“Tonight we had no business being in the game for the first 40 minutes,”  said Head Coach Dave Lowry,

“Those are the nights when you expect your goaltender to give you a chance to win…”

Coleman Vollrath was the number 1 star with 29 saves, to earn his league leading 15^th victory.

“(Vollrath) enabled us to get ourselves going, and enabled us to still be in a hockey game…and when you do make mistakes and you’re goaltender’s first star – it’s usually pointing towards a win for you.”  said Lowry.

Nick Schneider took the loss, making 35 saves in the defeat as Medicine Hat (7-14-2-1, 17pts) drops their 4^th in a row, while kicking off their 4 game BC Division road swing.

The Royals out shot the Tigers 38-30 overall.

Jack Walker (8^th) had given the home side a 1-0 lead after 20, with a great end to end rush.

Tabbies Cole Sanford (11^th) struck with the man advantage to draw even in the middle frame. 

“We will not tolerate being out worked in our own building, and for 40 minutes we were out worked.” said Lowry,

“So the message was clear that, if it wasn’t going to be our best 20 minutes – we don't play until Saturday, we’ll make sure we do get some results for the next couple days.”

Matthew Phillips scored just over a minute into the third for the eventual game winner, with his team leading 15^th goal of the year.  Phillips leads all freshman in goals, while sitting 4^th in rookie scoring with 28pts (15g-13a), two points off the lead.  Phillips extends his point streak to 7 games (7g, 6a) 13pts.

Chaz Reddekopp (4^th) rounded out the scoring for Victoria with a power play marker in the final frame for some insurance.

Joe Hicketts was named to Team Canada’s selection camp roster earlier in the day for the upcoming World Junior tournament.  He continues to lead all WHL defenseman in points (29) and assists (27).

Victoria went 1 for 6 with the man advantage, while Medicine Hat was 1 for 5.

Tied at 38 points with the Rebels, the Royals have now won back to back games, and trail the Rockets by a single point for top spot in the WHL. 

Victoria improves to 2-1 on their four game homestand which wraps up with Joe Hicketts Bobblehead night on Saturday against the Kootenay Ice.  The first 3,500 fans will receive a Joe Hicketts bobblehead courtesy of Double N Hardwood Floors and CHEK TV.

Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

- Marlon Martens

Medicine Hat Tigers 1 at Victoria Royals 3 - Status: Final
Tuesday, December 1, 2015 - Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena - Victoria, BC

Medicine Hat 0 1 0 - 1
Victoria 1 0 2 - 3

1st Period-

1, Victoria, Walker 8 (Soy), 7:46.

Penalties-Bradley M.h (hooking), 3:31; Butcher M.h (hooking), 8:19; Walker Vic (tripping), 14:06; Nagy Vic (hooking), 19:25.

2nd Period-

2, Medicine Hat, Sanford 11 (Butcher, Shaw), 5:48 (PP).

Penalties-Nagy Vic (delay of game), 5:22; Anderson Vic (kneeing), 7:33; Walker Vic (tripping), 18:00.

3rd Period-

3, Victoria, Phillips 15 (Gagnon, Forsberg), 1:12.

4, Victoria, Reddekopp 4 (Hicketts), 6:12 (PP).

Penalties-Quenneville M.h (hooking), 4:48; Mowbray M.h (hooking), 10:50; Quenneville M.h (interference), 14:03; Walker Vic (hooking), 14:41; Schultz M.h (tripping), 15:13; Shaw M.h (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 18:56; Price Vic (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 18:56.

Shots on Goal-

Medicine Hat 9-12-9-30.

Victoria 15-8-15-38.

Power Play Opportunities-

Medicine Hat 1 / 5;

Victoria 1 / 6.

Goalies-

Medicine Hat, Schneider 4-8-0-0 (38 shots-35 saves).

Victoria, Vollrath 15-7-0-1 (30 shots-29 saves).

A-3,169

Referees-Ryan Benbow (62), Duncan Brow (19).
Linesmen-Kirk Van Helvoirt (107), Riley Friesen (76).