Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

Victoria Royals regroup for decisive road victory against Kamloops Blazers

VICTORIA 5 KAMLOOPS 2 The Victoria Royals gave up the first goal Saturday night in Kamloops but that’s about all they surrendered in a 5-2 Western Hockey League victory over the Blazers before 3,853 fans at Interior Savings Centre.

VICTORIA 5

KAMLOOPS 2

The Victoria Royals gave up the first goal Saturday night in Kamloops but that’s about all they surrendered in a 5-2 Western Hockey League victory over the Blazers before 3,853 fans at Interior Savings Centre.

Victoria (31-21-4) is 14-3-1 over the last 18 games and reorganized well after a decisive 7-3 loss the night before to the league-leading and BMO Canadian Hockey League second-ranked Kelowna Rockets.

Tyler Soy’s two goals moved him into second place on the Royals with 23 on the season to further enhance his stature for the 2015 NHL draft on a three-point night. Calgary Flames-prospect Austin Carroll also scored twice, once on the power play, and moved his Victoria team lead in goals to 32. Alex Forsberg, with his 22nd of the season, scored on the power play to account for the other Victoria goal.

Much of the Victoria attack on Saturday started with blueliner Joe Hicketts — a gold medallist with Canada at the 2015 world junior championships and under NHL contract to the Detroit Red Wings — who picked up three assists.

Matt Needham, captain of the Blazers, struck first at 5:53 of the first period.

The game was tight before Carroll made it 3-1 at 2:20 of the third period and Soy’s second pushed that to a three-goal cushion at 10:46. Carroll’s second and Marc McNulty of Kamloops (22-30-6) rounded out scoring in garbage time.

Royals head coach Dave Lowry went right back with Justin Paulic, the Victoria goaltender who was lit up for four goals on 15 shots on Friday in Kelowna before being replaced by Coleman Vollrath. Paulic finished Saturday with 30 saves while Connor Ingram made 37 for Kamloops.

“We’re going to have to be better,” said Lowry, after Friday night’s collapse in Kelowna.

His Royals were just that on Saturday in Kamloops.

Victoria is in Kent, Washingon, today against the Seattle Thunderbirds, part of four games in five days, including Tuesday’s rare matinée at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre against Moose Jaw.