VICTORIA 2
KAMLOOPS 1
Griffen Outhouse wasn’t the most hyped goaltender in the game but he may have drawn some attention his way Tuesday night at the Sandman Centre in Kamloops. The Victoria Royals crease man made 33 saves to be named first star in a 2-1 Western Hockey League victory over the host Blazers.
Outhouse was in the shadow of Kamloops goaltender Connor Ingram, selected in the third round of the 2016 NHL draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning and a candidate for the Canadian team at the 2017 world junior championship. Ingram wasn’t too bad, either, in making 37 saves to be named second star of the game.
“Both goalies were outstanding,” said Victoria head coach Dave Lowry. “It was one of those nights that if we were going to win, our goalie had to be better than theirs.”
Victoria (8-6) won for the fourth time in five games. The Royals continued to play well on the road, where they are 5-2-1. Kamloops (7-7) had an overall three-game winning run and also a five-game home unbeaten streak snapped.
But Lowry wasn’t overly satisfied with his team.
“We can’t rely on our goalie to bail us out every night,” he said.
“I didn’t like our execution. But a win is a win. We’ll take it.”
Lowry found a bright spot, though: “I liked our power play tonight.”
What’s not to like when it accounted for the winning goal?
Victoria’s power play struck for the 12th time in five games when Dante Hannoun tipped home a shot from the point by Chaz Reddekopp at 49 seconds of the third period to make it 2-1.
The Royals were 1-5 overall on the odd man.
Conner McDonald opened scoring at 3:31 of the second period with a power-play goal for Kamloops against Victoria’s league top-ranked penalty kill. Jack Walker, with the eighth goal of the season for the Toronto Maple Leafs draft pick, leveled for Victoria just over a minute later and finished the night with two points.
The Royals continue their road swing tonight in Kelowna against the Rockets in a reprise of last spring’s memorable second-round playoff series. The game will be broadcast on Shaw TV.
“There are no easy nights in the B.C. Division, and we need to rely on our preparation.” said Lowry.
Victoria will then dip south of the border to take on the Tri-City Americans on Friday in Kennewick, Washington, before playing the Silvertips on Saturday in Everett.
Americans 4, ’Hawks 3
PORTLAND — Vladislav Lukin scored his second goal of the night at the 13:53 mark of the third period as the Tri-City Americans edged the Portland Winterhawks 4-3 on Tuesday.
Kurtis Rutledge and Parker AuCoin also scored as Tri-City (8-5-1) built a 3-1 lead by the game’s midway point. Rylan Parenteau made 30 saves for the win.
