VICTORIA - The Victoria Royals scored five goals in the third period to rally past the Kamloops Blazers 6-4 on Tuesday in Western Hockey League action.

Austin Carroll, Alex Gogolev, Brett Cote and Steven Hodges all had power-play goals in the third for Victoria (22-17-3), while Jack Walker also scored in the final 20 minutes of play. Hodges had scored earlier in the game, at the 15:04 mark of the second. Patrik Polivka made 26 saves for the win.

Tim Bozon scored in the third for Kamloops (29-13-4) but it wasn't enough to derail the Royals. Matt Needham, Cole Ully and Colin Smith rounded out the Blazers offence. Goalie Cole Cheveldave stopped 19 shots.

Kamloops struck first in the second period as Needham had the puck bounce off him from a wrap-around attempt from Ully for his seventh goal of the season to make it 1-0.

The Royals answered back later in the period as Hodges scored his 13th goal of the year, splitting three defenders to tie the game 1-1.

The Blazers retook the lead late in the second with of back-to-back goals. The first from Ully on the power play, and then 32 seconds later Smith scored his 28th goal of the season to make it 3-1 Kamloops after 40 minutes of play.

In the third period, the Royals pulled even with a pair of power-play goals from Carroll and Gogolev.

Kamloops regained a one-goal lead on Bozon’s 27th of the season.

Victoria responded with three unanswered goals. The first from Cote on the power play, then Walker sniped his second of the year, and finally Hodges put the game away with his second of the night.

© Copyright 2013