Recap: VAN 2 - VIC 5

Zane Jones scored the eventual game winner and the Victoria Royals power play struck twice in a 5-2 win over the visiting Vancouver Giants Saturday night.

Marek Tvrdon was stopped by Jared Rathjen on a 3rd period breakaway.

Victoria held period leads of 2-0 and 4-2 before Hayden Rintoul (1g 1a) added some insurance into an empty net, snapping a 2 game losing skid.

#1 Star Jordan Fransoo defends against Brendan Gallagher

Jared Rathjen made 29 saves for his 3rd career win in his 6th consecutive start for the Royals, while his counterpart Adam Morrison stopped 22 in the defeat.

Victoria also got goals from Jordan Fransoo (1g 1a), Jamie Crooks, and Ben Walker.  Logan Nelson and Robin Soudek chipped in with 2 assists each.  Vancouver got goals from Nathan Burns and Brendan Gallagher, his 40th.

Victoria with a record of 3-5 against Vancouver, the clubs will meet again this Sunday March 4th, in the afternoon at 1pm.

The Victory keeps the Royals in 7th with 48 points, 1 ahead of Everett who defeated Tri City 4-1, and 4 up on 9th place Seattle who fell 7-3 in Portland.  Prince George keeps pace, 6 points back with a 4-3 overtime victory versus Spokane.  The Chiefs move 2 ahead of the 5th place Giants in the West.

The Royals power play went 2 for 6, while stopping all 4 Giants man advantages.  Victoria’s penalty killing has now been a perfect 18 for 18 over their last 5 games.

Enio Sacilotto commented on the victory:

 

The Royals celebrate the 5-2 win.

Victoria who never trailed, led 2-0 after 20 minutes on Jordan Fransoo’s 3rd and Jamie Crooks team leading 34th on the power play.

Nathan Burns cut the lead in half in the second, but the Royals responded on Jones 13th with the man advantage at the 15:05 mark to restore the 2 goal lead.  Brendan Gallagher would tap in his team leading 40th goal to draw within one, but 29 seconds later Ben Walker added his 8th to take a 4-2 lead into the final frame.

Early in the third, Victoria’s Brandon Magee would be stopped by Adam Morrison on a breakaway.  Jared Rathjen would counter with a breakaway stop of his own on Marek Tvrdon to preserve the 2 goal cushion.  With 1:05 left, Hayden Rintoul added his 16th into an empty net to seal the win.

It’s the Giants second loss in a row, as Vancouver has just one win in their last six games.

Vancouver Giants 2 at Victoria Royals 5 - Status: Final
Saturday, March 3, 2012 - Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena - Victoria, BC

Vancouver 0 2 0 - 2
Victoria 2 2 1 - 5

1st Period-
1, Victoria, Fransoo 3 (Soudek), 1:28.
2, Victoria, Crooks 34 (Nelson, Soudek), 11:12 (PP).

Penalties-Jones Vic (roughing), 6:33; Cooke Van (boarding, major-fighting), 9:07; Pilton Vic (major-fighting), 9:07; Vanscourt Van (delay of game), 10:20; Traber Vic (hooking), 11:43; Kuvaev Van (hooking), 14:34; Tvrdon Van (roughing), 20:00.

2nd Period-
3, Vancouver, Burns 11 (Vanscourt, Makin), 4:32.
4, Victoria, Jones 13 (Rintoul, Magee), 15:05 (PP).
5, Vancouver, Gallagher 40 (Martinook, Manning), 17:28.
6, Victoria, Walker 8 (Nelson, Fransoo), 17:57.

Penalties-Kulak Van (hooking), 8:04; Tvrdon Van (slashing), 13:10; Stahl Vic (interference), 18:17.

3rd Period-
7, Victoria, Rintoul 16   18:55 (EN). Penalties-Cote Vic (high sticking), 3:59.

Shots on Goal-
Vancouver 10-11-10-31.
Victoria 6-11-10-27.

Power Play Opportunities-
Vancouver 0 / 4;
Victoria 2 / 6.

Goalies-
Vancouver, Morrison 32-16-1-1 (26 shots-22 saves).
Victoria, Rathjen 3-7-1-0 (31 shots-29 saves).

A-6,727
Referees-Jason Nissen (91), Reagan Vetter (79).
Linesmen-Jason Cramer (122), Justin Hull (49).