VANCOUVER 4 VICTORIA 1
The Victoria Royals took their by-now patented routine of slow starts to new extremes Friday night before 7,826 fans at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver.
But there would be no death-defying, circus-like rally this time, as the Royals (9-5) have managed on six previous occasions this Western Hockey League season.
The Vancouver Giants (3-9) outshot the Royals 8-0 in the first period en route to a 4-1 victory.
The Royals failed to get a shot in the opening period on a 16-year-old call-up goaltender from the Junior B Richmond Sockeyes. Payton Lee, considered a potential future star for the Giants, wasn't tested at all by Victoria, which should have been bombarding the net to at least raise the rookie's anxiety level.
But coach Don Hay's Giants teams have always been known to play tight and tenacious on the forecheck and on defence. Friday was no different, giving some respite to an otherwise slow Vancouver start to the season.
The Royals have only scored the first goal of the game on four occasions. It was no different last night as Dalton Sward of the Giants opened scoring at 16: 11 of the first period. That was followed by two second-period goals by Marek Tvrdon as the Giants pushed their lead to 3-0 and shots advantage to 16-2 by 7: 40 of the second period. Jamie Crooks, with his fourth goal of the season, tallied for Victoria in the third period before Tvrdon completed his hat-track.
"If we could play with a lead, it would be a lot easier on us," said Royals forward Brandon Magee, earlier in the week.
"We need to be flipping that switch a lot earlier in games. It's getting old."
This time, the Royals couldn't even flip it in the third period.
Jared Rathjen started in the Victoria nets for the second consecutive game and played two periods, giving up three goals on 18 shots. He was replaced by Coleman Vollrath for the third period and the rookie gave up one goal on 15 shots.
Rathjen, a returning veteran, and Vollrath are part of a continuing three-way battle in the Victoria crease with Czech import Patrik Polivka
The Royals had a three-game winning streak snapped, while the Giants ended a five-game losing skid.
The Royals are in Kamloops tonight at 7 to face the league-leading Blazers (13-0-1), who warmed up for Victoria by feasting 8-1 Friday on the Brandon Wheat Kings.
