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| Pregame Ceremony in Spokane |
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| #11 Steven Hodges had 2 goals at Spokane |
Mitch Holmberg scored the shoot out winner, after Robin Soudek tied the game with 35 seconds left. The Royals held leads of 1-0 and 2-1, followed by 4 unanswered by the Chiefs, but came back with 3 straight to earn an important point in the standings.
Victoria out shot a stingy Spokane club 29-26 on the night.
Eric Williams earned his 13th win of the season and first in shoot out with a 24 save performance. Keith Hamilton drops to 3-4 in shoot outs, but stopped all 8 shots he faced coming in relief of Jared Rathjen (12 saves) at the 9:01 mark of the second.
Steven Hodges was the number star with a 2 goal effort. Robin Soudek had a three point night (1g 2a), while Logan Nelson (2nd in Rookie Scoring) and Ben Walker had a pair of helpers each. For Spokane, Dominik Uher scored a goal and added two helpers, while Liam Steward had a goal and an assist.
The Royals power play struck 3 times of 7 opportunities, while giving up one shorthanded goal. They didn’t allow the Chiefs a chance with the man advantage until the third and once overtime, stopping both. Victoria has killed off every penalty over the course of the last three games (7 for 7).
The season series sits at (0-1-0-1) with the Royals entertaing the Chiefs in Victoria for a pair February 28th and 29th.
The Royals gained a point in the standings as the Cougars, Thunderbirds and Silvertips all lost in regulation. Victoria is in 7th, 2 points up on Seattle, and 6 ahead of Prince George.
Assistant Coach of the Royals, Enio Sacilotto commented after the game:
Up next the final meeting of the season against the Americans in Tri City Saturday night (1-2). Then they’ll return to the Island for a 5 game home stand to meet Everett twice, Calgary a week later and Prince George for a pair.
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| The Chiefs celebrate the shoot out win 6-5. |
Hodges opened the scoring with his 16th, collecting a Logan Nelson rebound and firing it top corner at the 4 minute mark. Dominik Uher tied it with a short handed marker at 11:23, but the Royals retook the lead on the same power play 35 seconds later as Jamie Crooks roofed a shot glove side for his 28th of the year. The Chiefs would respond again ans Mitch Holmberg fired a shot low glove side at 14:42.
Jared Rathjen made some crucial saves on Todd Fiddler on a 2 on 1, and on Dylan Walchuk in alone to keep the game tied at 2 after 20 minutes. The first also saw a fight between Jesse Zgraggen and Darren Kramer after Zgraggen’s huge hit on Marek Kalus.
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| The Royals line up in the pregame ceremony. |
Spokane would add three straight in the second in the span of 4 minutes and 40 seconds, courtesy of Cole Wedman’s first in the WHL at 4:21, followed by Liam Stewart at 6:47 and Marek Kalus at 9:01. Jared Rathjen would then be replaced by Keith Hamilton after making 12 saves on 17 shots. Victoria’s power play would strike again before the period was out, with Hodges second of the night at 16:09.
Trailing 5-3 going into the third Keith Hamilton stopped Steven Kuhn on a breakaway, drawing a penalty shot. Hamilton forced Kuhn to shoot wide and it cued a Royals comeback. With under 4 minutes left Brandon Magee went five hole on Williams to bring Victoria to within one. With the goaltender pulled and on the power play, Robin Soudek fired home his 22nd with 35 seconds left to tie the game at 5.
In overtime, the Royals killed off a power play sending the contest to a shoot out. Blake Gal and Mitch Holberg scored, while Ben Walker replied for Victoria as Soudek and Nelson missed. 6-5 shoot out final for Spokane.
Victoria Royals 5 at Spokane Chiefs 6 (SO) - Status: End of Game SO
Friday, February 3, 2012 - Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena
Victoria 2 1 2 0 - 5
Spokane 2 3 0 0 - 6
1st Period-
1, Victoria, Hodges 16 (Nelson), 4:00.
2, Spokane, Uher 22 (Stewart), 11:23 (SH).
3, Victoria, Crooks 28 (Nelson), 11:58 (PP).
4, Spokane, Holmberg 20 (Uher, Walchuk), 14:42.
Penalties-Uher Spo (delay of game), 6:24; Fram Spo (inter. on goaltender), 11:13; Zgraggen Vic (major-fighting), 13:00; Kramer Spo (major-fighting), 13:00; Gal Spo (hooking), 19:05.
2nd Period-
5, Spokane, Wedman 1 (Aviani), 4:21.
6, Spokane, Stewart 7 6:47.
7, Spokane, Kalus 13 (Uher, Vandane), 9:01.
8, Victoria, Hodges 17 (Soudek, Rintoul), 16:09 (PP).
Penalties-Kichton Spo (delay of game), 11:19; Holmberg Spo (high sticking), 16:03.
3rd Period-
9, Victoria, Magee 17 (Walker, Soudek), 16:46.
10, Victoria, Soudek 22 (Walker), 19:25.
Penalties-Walker Vic (kneeing), 1:55; Uher Spo (delay of game), 8:24; Kuhn Spo (hooking), 17:55.
OT Period-
No Scoring.
Penalties-Soudek Vic (tripping), 2:56.
Shootout –
Victoria 1 (Soudek NG, Walker G, Nelson NG),
Spokane 2 (Gal G, Walchuk NG, Holmberg G).
Shots on Goal-
Victoria 12-9-2-0-0-23.
Spokane 12-6-4-3-1-26.
Power Play-
Victoria 2 / 7;
Spokane 0 / 2.
Goalies-
Victoria,
Rathjen 0-4-1-0 (17 shots-12 saves);
Hamilton 16-25-1-3 (8 shots-8 saves).
Spokane,
Williams 12-17-3-2 (23 shots-18 saves).
A-7,709
Referees-Adam Griffiths (36), Trevor Hanson (19).
Linesmen-Jason Cramer (122), Bevan Mills (98).
