The Kelowna Rockets, with four power-play goals, made the Victoria Royals pay for their lack of discipline, handing the Royals an 8-2 defeat Friday night at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
Two of the Rockets odd-man tallies came from Nolan Foote, who showed why he is projected for the first round of the 2019 NHL draft.
It was the kind of night in which veteran forward Dante Hannoun scored to put the Royals ahead 2-1, only to be assessed a rare post-goal goaltender interference penalty on the same play for running Roman Basran. It turned into a wash with Foote tying the game 2-2 on the ensuing power play.
The Rockets, who feature Kyle Topping of Salt Spring Island and former Royals forward Lane Zablocki, improve to 3-9 in an uncharacteristic slow start for the annual B.C. Division powerhouse program.
It was a humbling night for the Royals, ranked No. 4 in the CHL top-10 poll, who fell to 8-2 — giving plenty of ammunition to those who believe the team has overachieved in the first 10 games.
Griffen Outhouse was a sudden scratch Friday. No player is more important to the Royals chances this season than the 20-year-old veteran goaltender. Outhouse was dressed but did not play, in a scheduled rest move in the 5-2 victory over lowly Swift Current on Wednesday, after starting the Royals’ first eight games. Friday's situation was a surprise, with Outhouse not dressed, as Joel Grzybowski was called up from North Battleford of the Saskatchewan Junior League to back-up rookie Brock Gould, who made his second consecutive start for Victoria. Gould, who doesn't turn 17 until December, was pulled in the third period after allowing his sixth goal.
“[Outhouse] has a little tweak, so we decided to give Griffen a break tonight,” said Royals GM Cameron Hope.
Hope said the undisclosed ailment is not believed to be serious and that Outhouse would be re-assessed before tonight’s rematch between Royals and Rockets at the Memorial Centre.
