VICTORIA 2 ONTARIO 1

It wasn't the most artful of victories, but the Victoria Salmon Kings are in no position to worry about how they get the points as long as they get them.

The Salmon Kings (5-11-1), last in the ECHL, rode a scrappy effort to a much-needed 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings-affiliate Ontario Reign last night at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.

"We showed a lot of passion and an urge to win down the stretch to pull this out," said forward Scott Howes, who scored the winning goal at 35 seconds of the third period.

"Everybody went down to block shots and were willing to pay the price. Our penalty kill was great and Shantzie [goaltender David Shantz] made the key saves when we really needed them."

With the Salmon Kings' power play the second worst in the league and pretty much a write-off, compensation came from other specialty areas. Although Ontario was only 0-4 on their odd-man chances, those came at key junctures when the Reign were looking to make it 2-0 and then could have really clamped down.

"Special teams are always big and you can get momentum from killing off penalties like that," said Victoria forward Mike Hamilton, who scored the other Victoria goal.

Howes' game-winner, scored off a loose puck on the doorstep, came on an innocuous-looking play.

"It all came about from our strong forecheck and from getting it low and working the puck hard when down low," said Howes, a graduate of the Quebec Major Junior League.

The first period was listless except for two pivotal moments. Chad Painchaud of the Salmon Kings caught the post on a penalty shot at 4:37 before Jon Rheault of Ontario took a gift turnover to score shorthanded at 9:07. At only 10-for-87 on the season, nobody is expecting goals from this power-play unit, but to allow a goal with the odd man is a double whammy the Salmon Kings can ill afford. It was especially key because it allowed the Reign to take the lead. Ontario is a methodical shutdown-type team that is hard to play against from behind.

With the Reign not allowing many chances, the Salmon Kings were looking for any break or bounce to lift the pall that was beginning to envelop the Memorial Centre midway through the game.

It came at 11:14 of the second period when Victoria defenceman Jimmy Sharrow blocked a shot and corralled the puck just as a Victoria penalty to Hamilton was ending. With Ontario pressing, Sharrow found a wide-open Hamilton at centre ice and the NCAA Maine Black Bear grad deked Ontario goalie Curtis Darling deftly on a breakaway to tie the score 1-1.

"It was a lucky break to get that breakaway, but we'll take those," said Victoria-native Hamilton.

"When you've been struggling, this is the kind of win that is so big."

Each goalie made 25 saves but Ontario's chances were of better quality -- quick, darting shots that could have slipped in -- and the Flames-prospect Shantz was very sharp in keeping out all by one missive sent his way.

"[Shantz] came up big for us," said Hamilton.

"He was there with the crucial saves when we needed them."

The Salmon Kings and Reign (8-9-2) close out their two-game set tonight at 7 in the Memorial Centre.

cdheensaw@tc.canwest.com