VICTORIA 3 VANCOUVER 2
Four years ago at this time, it was names like Evan Lysacek and Charles Hamelin doing a star turn at the Pacific Coliseum in the 2010 Winter Olympics.
On Monday afternoon, it was Coleman Vollrath and Travis Brown doing their bit there before 11,621 fans.
Goaltender Vollrath made several outstanding saves and defenceman Brown scored the winner from the point on a power play at 17:13 of the third period to give the Victoria Royals a 3-2 Western Hockey League victory over the Vancouver Giants.
But relying on goaltending is not something with which hockey teams can afford to get too comfortable, warned Royals head coach Dave Lowry.
“Coleman made too many unbelievable saves,” said Lowry.
“That’s not how we want to continue to play.”
But style points matter little in hockey, acknowledged Lowry. The Royals (38-16-4) are getting it done, one way or another, and are unbeaten in 10 games in an 8-0-2 run.
“It’s a credit to our guys. They continue to find ways to win,” said Lowry.
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Austin Carroll’s team-leading 28th of the season tied it 2-2 at 5:23 of the second period. With the game on the line and regulation time ticking down, the offensive rearguard Brown did what he does best. The Chicago Blackhawks draft pick batted down a Vancouver short-handed clearing attempt, then corralled the puck and rifled it home for the winner.
“[Brown] sees the game well offensively,” noted Lowry, of the player the Royals acquired last month from the Moose Jaw Warriors. “It’s no secret we needed a shooting presence from the point. And Travis provided that today.”
Victoria swept its three-game road trip through Kamloops, Kelowna and Vancouver and has now won six consecutive road games to go 19-6-1 away from Blanshard Street. The 19 road wins are a franchise record.
“We have to play a certain way every night, whether we’re at home or away,” said Lowry. “And the players have been accountable in doing that.”
Victoria went to 5-3-1 in the season series against the Giants (27-22-9), while pushing Vancouver’s current overall losing streak to three games.
Vollrath, the WHL leader in both goals-against average and save percentage finished with 26 saves. Former Royals creaseman Jared Rathjen made 26 saves for Vancouver.
Giants forward Dominik Volek opened scoring on the power play at 16:44 of the first period. Forward Logan Fisher brought Victoria level at just 33 seconds of the second period. Cain Franson’s 22nd goal of the season gave Vancouver a 2-1 lead at 3:41, but that’s the last puck that got past Vollrath.
The Royals are in the midst of a stretch in which they are playing 10 road dates in 11 games. The only remaining home game in February is Wednesday when the Tri-City Americans (27-24-5) come to Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
