KELOWNA 4
VICTORIA 3 (OT)
There was ample room to spread out on the Victoria Royals bench at Prospera Place in Kelowna on Saturday. They probably could have even brought in a couple of recliner rockers.
The Royals were without head coach Dave Lowry and defencemen Ralph Jarratt and Mitchell Prowse to flu-like symptoms and Tyler Soy, Ryan Peckford and Chaz Reddekopp to injuries.
The return of Royals forward Jared Dmytriw, from a one-game suspension, couldn’t have come at a more opportune time. But it didn’t stop the Rockets (43-21-5) from winning their seventh consecutive game with a 4-3 overtime victory. The single point, however, halted a three-game Victoria regulation-time losing streak.
“We are very proud of our players’ effort against a Kelowna team that has been very hot and was playing with a full complement,” said Royals assistant coach Dan Price.
Dillon Dube’s second goal of the game, at 19 seconds of overtime, decided it. It was one of three Kelowna power-play goals.
“Some of our penalties were because of mental errors and we want to eliminate those as we look to the playoffs,” said Price, who has taken over on the bench, from the ailing Lowry, for the last two games.
Dante Hannoun scored twice for the Royals with one of those goals coming on the power play. Regan Nagy also scored.
Royals GM Cam Hope said mumps test results are still pending on Lowry, Jarratt and Prowse and the team hopes to have them by Monday. In the meantime, the trio has been isolated.
“It takes a couple of days and we’re still waiting to hear,” said Hope. “We’re still crossing our fingers and hoping it isn’t that [mumps] and that it’s just the flu.”
Hope said no other players or coaches have fallen ill since the outbreak hit Friday.
With three games remaining, it is certain the seventh-seed Royals (37-26-6) will meet the Western Conference second seed in the first round of the playoffs. The Royals play Tuesday in Langley against the Giants.
