Sunday 11 March 2012

Preview: Victoria at Vancouver (Sun Mar 11)

The Victoria Royals (22-41-2-4, 50pts) wrap up 4 games in 5 nights on the road against the Vancouver Giants (38-26-2-3, 81pts) Sunday evening.

Past 10 Games: Victoria: 4-6-0-0 Vancouver: 3-5-1-1

SERIES:  It’s the final meeting of the season, the Royals with a 3-6 record thus far, falling 6-0 last Sunday at home to the Giants after defeating them 5-2 the night before.

Both teams are playing 3 in 3 nights. 

LAST GAME:  Victoria suffered a 3-0 loss in Everett Saturday.  Vancouver is coming off a 3-2 victory in Kamloops, after falling 6-3 to the same Blazers in Vancouver on Friday.

ROAD / HOME:  Victoria is 1-2 on the road trip, with the win coming in Kelowna 3-1 Friday night.  They started the road trip with a 3-2 loss in Everett on Wednesday.  Vancouver is 10 over .500 at the Pacific Coliseum with 21 wins, they are however, winless in their last 5 games at home.

STANDINGS: Victoria is in 8th with 50 points, 4 ahead of Seattle and Prince George. The Royals have 3 games remaining, the Thunderbirds 5, and Cougars 4.

Victoria now needs a combination of 7 points derived from Royals wins and / or Thunderbird losses to eliminate Seattle from playoff contention.  They need 5 points in relation to Prince George.

Vancouver is tied with Spokane for 4th in the West, but the Chiefs have a game in hand.

UP NEXT:  The Royals wrap up the regular season with a pair of home games next Wednesday and Friday against the Portland Winterhawks.

LEADING SCORERS:
Crooks (35-30-65)
Nelson (22-37-59)
Soudek (27-30-57)
Rintoul (16-33-49)
Magee (21-24-45)/

Gallagher (40-35-75)
Tvrdon (27-39-66)
Martinook (35-22-57)
Franson (26-30-56)
Manning (7-33-40)

PAST MEETINGS:
Vancouver 6 @ Victoria 0 (March 4 2012)
Vancouver 2 @ Victoria 5 (March 3 2012)
Victoria 3 @ Vancouver 11 (Nov 18 2011)
Vancouver 5 @ Victoria 3 (Nov 5 2011)
Vancouver 1 @ Victoria 2 (Nov 4 2011)
Victoria 1 @ Vancouver 8 (Oct 21 2011)
Victoria 1 @ Vancouver 5 (Oct 10 2011)
Vancouver 3 @ Victoria 5 (Sep 24 2011)
Victoria 2 @ Vancouver 5 (Sep 23 2011)

DRAFTED/NHL SIGNED PLAYERS: For Victoria: D Tyler Stahl (Carolina, 6th rd 2010), D Jordan Fransoo (Ottawa, 7th rd 2011).  For Vancouver: F Marek Tvrdon (DET 4th rd 2011 ), F Brendan Gallagher (MTL 5th rd 2010 ), D David Musil (EDM 2nd rd 2011)

TOP PROSPECTS:  Central Scoutings mid-term rankings of North American players positions Victoria’s Steven Hodges (55), and Logan Nelson (108).  For Vancouver: D Brett Kulak (67), F Dalton Sward (188),

INJURIES:

For Vancouver:
#14, Austin Vetterl, Lower body, 1 month+
#18, Anthony Ast, Lower body, 2 weeks
#16, Austin Fyten, Lower body, 1 month+

For Victoria:
#3, Zach Habscheid, Lower body, 1 month

EVERETT 51 Points REMAINING: (4)
                            
Mar. 11     at Seattle                                 
Mar. 14     at Kelowna                                 
Mar. 16     at Tri-City     
Mar. 17     at Seattle

VICTORIA 50 Points REMAINING: (3)

Mar 11    at Vancouver
Mar 14   vs Portland
Mar 16   vs Portland

SEATTLE 46 Points REMAINING: (5)

Mar. 11    vs Everett
Mar. 13    vs Spokane
Mar. 16    at Spokane
Mar. 17     vs Everett
Mar. 18    at Portland

PRINCE GEORGE 46 Points REMAINING: (4)

Mar. 11    at Tri City
Mar. 13    at Tri City
Mar. 16    at Kamloops
Mar. 17    vs Kamloops