Royals versus Giants seems to be a happening flavour in sporting matchups this month.
In the Western Hockey League version, the Victoria Royals defeated the Vancouver Giants 2-1 on Friday night before 5,161 fans at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
The Royals unveiled their black, Los Angeles Kings-themed third jerseys for the occasion and it proved auspicious as the club moved above .500 for the first time this season at 7-6-1.
Asked if he liked the jersey, Victoria head coach Dave Lowry quipped: “We’re 1-0 in them [so] they’re looking great.”
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The Pacific Coliseum-loving Giants, who are 0-5 on the road, fell to 6-6 overall under former ECHL Victoria Salmon Kings coach Troy Ward.
Travis Brown showed why he is one of the best offensive defencemen in the league by giving Victoria a 1-0 lead by playing low on the power play and knocking the puck in at 12:42 of the first period for his fourth goal of season.
“Dave [Lowry] draws up the plays, and we try to create,” said Brown.
Asked if he likes playing down at the crease, Brown smiled and said: “I don’t mind it.”
The Royals power play struck again at 4:32 of the second period on Brandon Magee’s first goal of the season, in his second game back from a 12-game suspension to start the season.
That’s all Victoria needed.
“Vancouver has a super fast team and we have to play solid defence and play in layers,” said Brown.
Carter Popoff’s eighth goal of the season brought Vancouver to within one at 3:02 of the third period. That ended six consecutive periods of shutout hockey by Coleman Vollrath. It was the first goal allowed by Vollrath, who shut out the Kootenay Ice 4-0 in the Royals previous game, since 16:06 of the second period of a 4-2 victory over Lethbridge two games ago. Vollrath’s 123 minutes and 56 seconds of shutout hockey fell short of Patrick Polivka’s standard of 139:04 set last season for the Royals, the best since the club moved to Victoria in 2011-12, but was well off the all-time franchise record of 153:56 set by Matt Esposito in 2006-07 when the team was located in Chilliwack.
“You have to credit the whole team,” said Vollrath.
“It’s not just me posting the zeros on the board. The whole team is starting to find its game.”
Lowry liked his team’s effort for the first 40 minutes, adding “we held on in the third period.” But Vollrath was there when needed as Vancouver outshot Victoria 10-2 in that final period.
“Coleman is starting to feel comfortable in his game,” said Lowry.
The Royals began a five-game homestand, which continues tonight against the Giants in Pink in the Rink Night.
