Salmon Kings win big

December 11, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL)
Victoria Salmon Kings News Release


Victoria, BC – It doesn't snow much in Victoria but the latest instalment of ECHL hockey on Friday had the Mississippi Sea Wolves in a blizzard and the Victoria Salmon Kings showed again why they should not be taken lightly. The Salmon Kings are quickly making a name for themselves at home, and doing everything in their power to make Bear Mountain Arena a nasty place for the visitors.

The 5-1 victory may not show very well the closely contested battle of the first forty-five minutes of hockey, but both teams must play sixty minutes and that is exactly what the Salmon Kings nation is seeing, night in and night out.

There has been no quit in this team and coaches Bryan Maxwell and Greg Batters should be complimented on the value of commitment they have instilled in this team, and it has started to show on the scoreboard.

The Salmon Kings power-play has been red hot of late and they cashed in on the man advantage again on Friday to open the scoring. Seth Leonard buried his fourth of the season, unassisted, on a scramble in front of Sea Wolves netminder, and Vancouver Island born Matt Underhill, at 3:30 of the first period.

The scrambled play continued and with the Salmon Kings down a man, Sea Wolves winger Jeff Hutchins found a gift on the doorstep, after Victoria backstop Jason Stone was unable to squeeze a shot from the slot off the stick of Jay Legault. Stone made some outstanding saves in the game and has continued to play consistent between the pipes.

But Mississippi could not take advantage of the swing and two minutes later Underhill was fishing it out of the back of his net again. Brad Dexter continued his solid play on the blueline and added some more offence recording his fifth of the season from Rob Voltera, who returned to the line-up after serving a three game suspension.

For most of the affair the two teams looked as if they were in a feeling out process, and neither team looked willing to give up the next opportunity. Until fourteen and a half minutes into the third period when the Salmon Kings opened up on Underhill. Rob Voltera recorded his second point of the game and his sixth goal of the season to make it 3-1.

Then at 17:37 Ryan Finnerty put the game out of reach when the Sea Wolves defence made a vital mistake in the neutral zone and he walked in and beat Underhill, who was left on an island. Ryan Wade finished the three goals in three minute spree with his fifth of the season.

The Salmon Kings cap the first three game winning streak in franchise history with the convincing victory and looked to continue with their incredible run on home ice on Saturday against the Mississippi Sea Wolves at 7:00 at Bear Mountain Arena. Tickets are available for Saturday by phone, at 250-220-7777 or at www.selectyourtickets.com.



ECHL Stories from December 11, 2004


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