Wednesday 30 March 2016

Recap: VIC 2 - SPK 5 (Tues.March.29.2016)


National Anthems in Spokane
Keanu Yamamoto had three assists for the Spokane Chiefs who upended the visiting Victoria Royals 5-2 Tuesday night.

“I don’t think we were ready to play…” said Victoria Head Coach Dave Lowry,

“And I’ll take blame for that, my responsibility is to make sure this team is ready to play…”

The Royals still lead the best of seven playoff series 2 games to 1.
Royals Bench
“Battle level, compete, urgency, everything that you need to win at this time of year…” said Lowry about the difference in the game,

“For us it just was not a very good effort all around.”

The two clubs meet again Wednesday in Spokane, with Game 5 in Victoria on Friday.

The Chiefs built period leads of 2-0 and 5-0, before Victoria responded with a pair in the third.

“We started competing, and starting executing, and started playing the way we have to play,” according to Lowry on the clubs strong third.

“One thing we talked about, was that we have to find a way to generate some momentum, and I thought we did that in the third period.”

Spokane jumped to a 4 and 5-0 lead with a pair of goals just :29 seconds apart in the middle frame.

Face off in Royals Zone
The Royals played a second straight game without veteran rearguards Joe Hicketts (undisclosed), and Ryan Gagnon who served the final of a two game suspension.

“When you take those guys out, other guys have to raise their game…” said Lowry.

Spokane out shot their visitors 33-18 after 40 minutes and 37-24 overall.

Coleman Vollrath made 34 saves in the loss, while Lasse Petersen stopped 22 for his first win in the post season.

The Royals were 1 for 5 on the power play, but the Chiefs went 2 for 6.

Victoria got a pair of goals form rookies Matthew Phillips and defenseman Scott Walford, their first WHL playoff markers.  Walford totalled two points (1g 1a).

Spokane got goals from Jaret Anderson-Dolan (1g 1a), Jason Fram, Hudson Elynuik, Presten Kopeck, and Jordan Henderson.  Dominic Zwerger had 2 assists.
It was another physical affair with 48 minutes of penalties handed out, 38 of which went to the Royals.

“The physical part isn’t going to bothersome – I thought we managed it.” Said Lowry.

Victoria had their 7 game road win streak snapped, along with their 15 game win streak overall.

“It stings,” said Lowry, “You’re frustrated, but at the end of the day you’ve lost once in 16 games…we’ll be ready to go (Wednesday). 

- Marlon Martens
 
Series Schedule:
Wednesday, March 30th – Victoria @ Spokane – 7:05 p.m.
Friday, April 1st – Spokane @ Victoria – 7:05 p.m. (if necessary)
Sunday, April 3rd – Victoria @ Spokane – 5:05 p.m. (if necessary)
Tuesday, April 5th – Spokane @ Victoria – 7:05 p.m. (if necessary)
 
Victoria Royals 2 at Spokane Chiefs 5 - Status: End of Game
Tuesday, March 29, 2016 - Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena

Victoria 0 0 2 - 2
Spokane 2 3 0 - 5

1st Period-
1, Spokane, Fram 1 (Zwerger, Ke. Yamamoto), 7:26.
2, Spokane, Henderson 1 (Fiala, Ke. Yamamoto), 17:39.

Penalties-Bechtold Spo (checking from behind), 0:34; Walker Vic (high sticking), 5:23; Ke. Yamamoto Spo (hooking), 14:49.

2nd Period-
3, Spokane, Elynuik 3 (Anderson-Dolan, Sozanski), 9:06 (PP).
4, Spokane, Kopeck 1 (Ke. Yamamoto, Zwerger), 16:10 (PP).
5, Spokane, Anderson-Dolan 1 (Miske, Cardiff), 16:39.

Penalties-Walker Vic (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 0:00; Ka. Yamamoto Spo (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 0:00; Pachal Vic (cross checking), 7:34; Walford Vic (cross checking), 14:16; Kopeck Spo (tripping), 17:01.

3rd Period-
6, Victoria, Phillips 1 (Hannoun, Walford), 3:40 (PP).
7, Victoria, Walford 1 (Reddekopp, Soy), 18:02.

Penalties-Fisher Vic (interference), 0:50; Fram Spo (holding), 2:16; Bechtold Spo (inter. on goaltender), 6:17; Forsberg Vic (slashing, 10-minute misconduct), 9:16; Dmytriw Vic (roughing), 14:52; Pachal Vic (roughing), 14:52; Bechtold Spo (roughing), 14:52; Ke. Yamamoto Spo (roughing), 14:52; Nagy Vic (roughing), 17:03; Miske Spo (tripping), 17:03; Pachal Vic (slashing), 18:31.

Shots on Goal-
Victoria 9-9-6-24.
Spokane 17-16-4-37.

Power Play Opportunities-
Victoria 1 / 5;
Spokane 2 / 6.

Goalies-
Victoria, Vollrath 2-1-0-0 (37 shots-32 saves).
Spokane, Petersen 1-2-0-0 (24 shots-22 saves).

A-0
Referees-Jeff Ingram (82), Nick Swaine (35).
Linesmen-Jeremi Del Campo (44), Anthony Guzzo (135).