KAMLOOPS 5
VICTORIA 2
Deven Sideroff and Matt Revel scored goals under six minutes apart in the latter stages of the second period to pace the Kamloops Blazers to a 5-2 win over the Victoria Royals in Western Hockey League play on Saturday at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
The Royals lost just six games at home in regulation time all of last season. They are already half way there, just four games into the young 2016-17 campaign.
“I thought we were too loose in our own end. I thought that they skated and we watched and if we’re going to have success, we have to check out of our end and create chances that way,” said Royals head coach Dave Lowry.
“Give them credit, they came in and played a good road game. We didn’t play well enough to win.”
Unlike Friday, when they were shut-out 1-0 by Griffen Outhouse, the Blazers struck early as Quinn Benjafield finished off Collin Shirley’s backhand pass for a 1-0 lead just 5:45 into the first period. Nick Chyzowski — who had an assist on the opening Kamloops goal — then jumped on a rebound for a 2-0 advantage just 59 seconds later for the visitors.
Tyler Soy, who just returned from camp with the Anaheim Ducks, got one back at 9:34 as his pass redirected in off a Blazers’ defenceman at 9:34 on a 4-on-4 situation in a much faster and more furious start than Friday’s result.
Royals forward Ethan Price was injured as he was crushed by a Nolan Kneen hit 12 seconds prior to the Victoria goal, after a skirmish had erupted and Jack Walker and Benjafield were sent off for roughing minors.
Blake Bargar tied it at 2-2 just 5:20 into the second period as he banked the puck off Blazers goalie Connor Ingram and in from behind the net.
That didn’t last long as Sideroff — who was at Ducks camp along with Soy — restored the Blazers’ lead at 12:50 on a snap shot before Revel back-handed in another rebound, which Outhouse had trouble corralling for a portion of the evening.
Jermaine Loewen also scored late in the third period for Kamloops.
Victoria now slips to 1-3 in the standings and is in Vancouver on Wednesday to start a six-game road trip, while Kamloops levels off at 2-2. Both the Royals and Blazer are well behind the Prince George Cougars (6-0) after a 3-0 win over Kelowna on Saturday.
The Victoria power play has still not recorded a goal, going 0-for-6 on the night and 0-for-26 after four games. The offence has produced just five goals in total, but on a positive note, the penalty kill remains perfect.
Outhouse’s shutout on Friday was the fifth of his young WHL career and he’s now halfway to Lucas Gore’s franchise record of 10 that he set in 141 games played with the Chilliwack Bruins from 2007-11.
Outhouse made 24 saves on Saturday, while Ingram stopped 21.
GAME NOTES: Victoria’s Ryan Gagnon tied Jeff Einhorn for the most games played by a blue-liner in franchise history at 257. Einhorn played for the Chilliwack Bruins from 2007-2011. … Carter Folk, who was acquired from the Lethbridge Hurricanes last month, played in his first game as he sat out a suspension that carried over from last season. … Chaz Reddekopp remained out of the lineup, but was on his way back from Los Angeles Kings camp.
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