VICTORIA 7 VANCOUVER 5
With apologies to Michigan Wolverines basketball, just call it the Fab Five. Forward Brandon Magee put up that many assists on Saturday night in leading the Victoria Royals to a 7-5 Western Hockey League victory in Vancouver over the Giants before 5,081 fans at the Pacific Coliseum.
“[Magee] is a skilled individual and, in wide-open games, some nights are going to be like that,” said Victoria head coach Dave Lowry.
But it’s just that type of game Lowry wants to avoid with a Royals squad known for tighter play.
“Let’s not kid ourselves, we are not going to score seven goals every night,” said Lowry, who said he’ll take the win, although he wasn’t satisfied with his club’s performance.
“The 17-4 shots [Vancouver’s advantage in the third period] tells you that a lot of the play was in the wrong end.”
Axel Blomqvist, the lanky forward with the long reach and under NHL contract to the Winnipeg Jets, scored twice for Victoria as he continues to give Swedish selectors something to think about ahead of the 2015 world junior championships.
The Detroit Red Wings-signed Joe Hicketts added four assists for Victoria to take the league lead in points for defencemen with 28.
Royals forward Austin Carroll recorded his WHL-leading eighth power play goal while offensive blueliner Travis Brown also scored on the odd man.
Veterans Taylor Crunk and Brandon Fushimi, the latter into an empty net, and rookie Regan Nagy scored the other Victoria goals. Joel Hamilton scored two goals for Vancouver, which is coached by former ECHL Victoria Salmon Kings head coach Troy Ward.
The Royals moved to 11-10-2 while the Giants fell to 8-12.
The Royals, who haven’t played at home since Nov. 2, return to Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre for a four-game stand starting Tuesday and Wednesday in a marquee set against the high-flying Kelowna Rockets (20-1-1).
The Rockets are the No. 2 ranked major-junior team in North America, and likely to be No. 1 next week thanks to Connor McDavid’s hand injury that could knock the Erie Otters from the top spot.
That’s followed by an equally intriguing match-up Friday for the Royals against the surprise No. 8 Everett Silvertips (14-2-3). The Regina Pats (11-9-1) make their once-every-two-years visit to Blanshard Street next Saturday.
