When the Western Hockey League schedule was released, few could have envisioned Wednesday nights game between the Victoria Royals and host Kamloops Blazers being even remotely considered as a marquee match-up.
Everybody knew the Blazers would be rated high No. 3 in the latest BMO Mastercard Canadian Hockey League top-10 but few could have anticipated the Royals being cited as an honourable mention in the poll.
The Blazers (6-0-1) defeated the surprising Royals (6-3) by a 5-2 count at the Interior Savings Centre to further validate their high ranking. Victoria was left with a humbling lesson of just how far they need to go to get into the top tier. The Blazers dominance was evident during a second period in which the Royals were outshot 17-0.
Kamloops is 2-0-1 against Victoria on the season.
We knew they were a good team coming in. And they were the better team tonight, said Royals head coach Dave Lowry.
If you dont get a shot on net in the second period, youre not going to win too many games.
JC Lipon opened the scoring at 17:51 of the first period and then assisted on Colin Smiths goal at 15:24 of the second. It was the fourth goal and fifth assist in the last three games for the 19-year-old Kamloops forward, who was named WHL player of the week.
Brendan Ranford, a 20-year-old forward back with the Blazers after recently being released by the Hamilton Bulldogs of the pro AHL, stuck the dagger in at 19:14 of the second with the 3-0 goal. Ranford also assisted on Lipons goal for a two-point night.
Victoria pressed in the third period with an 18-7 shots advantage and got goals by Jamie Crooks and Tyler Crunk, the latter his first of the season and on the power play. Both Royals goals were assisted by Buffalo Sabres draft pick Logan Nelson.
We had a good push in the third period and I thought we responded well [to the shot-less second frame], said Lowry.
Swiss whiz Tim Bozon and Cole Ully scored for Kamloops in the third.
Victoria starter Patrik Polivka, playing the first two periods, made 21 saves on 24 shots. Rookie Coleman Vollrath, making his WHL debut in the third period, made five saves on seven shots. Cole Cheveldave made 25 saves in the Kamloops nets.
ICE CHIPS: Returning to the Victoria line-up was defenceman Jordan Fransoo. Forward Steven Hodges remains day-to-day with a lower-body injury and was again out. . . . Veteran defenceman Sam Grist of North Saanich, acquired Tuesday by Kamloops in a trade with the Tri-City Americans, did not dress . . . The Royals return to Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre on Friday and Saturday for a two-game set against the Kelowna Rockets (3-4-1).
