KELOWNA 4
VICTORIA 1
For the second consecutive Western Hockey League game, the Victoria Royals didn't show up in the second period.
On Friday at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre, before an announced crowd of 5,155, the Royals managed only four second-period shots en route to losing a 4-1 decision to the Kelowna Rockets.
The Royals were outshot 17-0 on Wednesday in Kamloops during that second period and lost 5-2.
"The second periods are something that we have to work on as a team," said Victoria forward Logan Nelson, who had his five-game point streak (two goals and five assists) snapped. "We have to find a way to get out of this rut. We were faced with some adversity tonight and it will be interesting to see how we respond in the second game of the double-header."
The Royals and Rockets meet again tonight, 7 p.m. at the Memorial Centre.
"We have a lot of things to work on,'' said Victoria veteran defenceman Tyler Stahl. "We have to work harder and be better with the puck in our own end. We have to be stronger with our forechecking game, create more traffic and get more shots on goal. Kelowna was the better team tonight and that is why they got the two points.''
After a slow start to the game, Kelowna started generating some scoring chances. Austin Glover had the first great opportunity after blocking Jesse Zgraggen's shot at his blue-line. Glover raced in on a partial breakaway but he fired the shot over the net.
A few minutes later, Tyrell Goulbourne was set up alone in front of Victoria goaltender Patrik Polivka but he failed to make contact with the puck.
Then Zach Franko opened the scoring at 18: 06 of the first period when his shot from the slot, after a perfect set up from Myles Bell, beat Polivka.
The Rockets played an almost perfect second period of road hockey as Henrik Nyberg and Colton Sissons gave Kelowna a 3-0 lead. Sissons scored after a turnover by Victoria defenceman Jordan Fransoo.
Kelowna hemmed the Royals in their end long periods of time and after 18 minutes, Victoria had managed only two shots on goal. At 19: 22 of the period, Mitch Deacon gave the Royals some life with his first marker of the season. Deacon crashed the net and scored on a rebound from a Brandon Fushimi shot.
Kelowna defenceman Damon Severson gave the Rockets a three-goal cushion with a third period power-play marker. Severson's shot deflected into the net off Victoria defenceman Joe Hicketts.
ICE CHIPS: The Rockets have a young team and only dressed one 20-year-old (Dylan McKinlay) on Friday. The only other 20-year-old on Kelowna's roster is Mitchell Chapman and he was scratched. The Royals played three 20-year-olds - Stahl, Jamie Crooks and Alex Gogolev . . . Victoria forward Steven Hodges missed his seventh consecutive game with a lower body injury. His status is day-today. . . . Bell, the leading scorer for Kelowna with five goals and nine assists is listed as a defenceman. He took a regular shift on right wing and also played the point on the power play. He collected two assists. . . . Kelowna outshot Victoria 31-21 . . . Kelowna goaltender Jackson Whistle recorded his first win of the year. [email protected]
