WHL Victoria Royals

Royals Knock off Silvertips

Published on March 16, 2013 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Victoria Royals News Release


Victoria, BC - In a Friday night contest the Victoria Royals welcomed the Everett Silvertips to Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre for their final home game of the regular season. Victoria gave Coleman Vollrath the start in net, while Everett turned to Austin Lotz.

Defensive play was the dominant theme to open the game as the two teams battled to limit their opponent's chances. The highlight of the frame came with 3:16 remaining in the first period as Vollrath robbed Everett's Joshua Winquist. The Silvertips' forward accepted a cross-crease pass and snapped a shot from close range, but the outstretched glove of the Victoria netminder denied him of a sure goal. The game remained scoreless after 20 minutes of play.

The Royals broke the deadlock with a powerplay marker at 8:04 of the middle frame. Defenceman Brett Cote fed a pass to Steven Hodges who streaked into the Everett zone on a partial breakaway, but rifled a shot just wide of the Silvertips' goal. The puck caromed off the end boards before Jordan Fransoo buried the puck into the open cage as he trailed the play. Joe Hicketts doubled Victoria's lead late in the period with his fourth goal of the season. After Hodges gained the Everett zone on the right wing the 18-year-old slowed before he saucered a cross-ice pass to Hicketts. The rookie defenceman made no mistake as he wristed a shot past Lotz short side at 19:24 and sent the Royals into the second intermission up 2-0.

Fransoo added his second goal of the night at the 6:32 mark of the third period to give the Royals a 3-0 lead. The 19-year-old corralled a loose puck in the neutral zone before he crossed the Everett blue line and fired a snap shot that beat Lotz over the glove from the top of the left face-off circle. The Silvertips would get on the scoreboard with a Joshua Winquist goal at 13:05 of the final frame. Vollrath stopped a Reid Petryk shot, but the rebound fell loose at the top of the crease before Winquist swiped home the loose puck to cut the Royals' lead to 3-1. Everett pulled their goalie for the extra attacker, but Hicketts added his second goal of the night into the empty net while shorthanded to seal the victory. The win was the Royals' 34th of the season which set a new franchise record for wins while Victoria's 75 points to date also set a franchise best. Victoria 4 Everett 1.

Victoria went 1/4 25.0% on the powerplay while Everett was 0/4 0.0%. The Royals outshot the Silvertips 30-21.

The Royals wrap up the 2012-13 regular season tomorrow night with a trip to Everett to take on the Silvertips at the Comcast Center. Puck drop is set for 7:05 p.m.

Here Comes the Blue! The Victoria Royals take on the Kamloops Blazers in Round 1 of the 2013 WHL Playoffs. Tickets for Games 3 and 4, held at Bear Mountain Arena, are on sale now. With limited Round 1 seats available, Royals fans are encouraged to order tickets quickly by calling 250-220-7777, visiting www.selectyourtickets.com, or heading down to the Select Your Tickets box office.

Check out the Victoria Royals Statistics

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Western Hockey League Stories from March 16, 2013


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