Friday 31 August 2012

Pre-Season Game #2 - VIC 3 vs KAM 5 in Maple Ridge

17 year old rookie Clay Spencer scored twice for the Royals, but JC Lipon's hat trick goal became the eventual winner in a 5-3 Blazer victory in Maple Ridge.  Kamloops takes both games, winning the night earlier 4-2.  (Highlights here: http://www.victoriaroyals.com/video/index )

Royals Assistant Coach Enio Sacilotto's thoughts on the game:



Clay Spencer was named 2nd star (Drafted in the 2nd rd in 2010 by the Bruins)
Sacilotto on Soy and Spencer with 2 goals on each on separate nights:
 

Royals dressed 5 fewer rookies than the night before, going with 8.
Sacilotto on dressing more vets:
 

It was a physical affair, with 44 minutes of penalties called, a lot of roughing and crosschecking.
Sacilotto on the physical play:
 

Jared Rathjen started in goal stopping 20 of 23, while Michael Herringer stopped 15 of 16. 
Sacilotto on the play of Rathen and Herringer:
 

Sacilotto on the play of Patrik Polivka a night earlier:
 

Sacilotto on what's next for the Royals:
 

Kamloops Blazers 5 at Victoria Royals 3 - Status: End of Game
Friday, August 31, 2012 - Maple Ridge, BC

Kamloops 1 2 2 - 5
Victoria 1 1 1 - 3

1st Period-
1, Victoria, Spencer 1 (Magee, Hodges), 2:56 (PP).
2, Kamloops, Lipon 1 (Cross), 6:04 (PP).

Penalties-Macklin Kam (slashing), 2:34; Traber Vic (cross checking), 4:23; Walker Vic (hooking), 8:04; Magee Vic (tripping), 11:03; Trzonkowski Kam (boarding), 13:25; Nelson Vic (slashing), 14:56; Halabi Vic (cross checking), 18:44; Fisher Vic (hooking), 19:52.

2nd Period-
3, Kamloops, Souto 2 (Madaisky, Lipon), 0:30 (PP).
4, Kamloops, Lipon 2 (Gaudet, Bozon), 8:02.
5, Victoria, Spencer 2 (Fisher, Spagrud), 12:45.

Penalties-Thomson Kam (hooking), 3:44; Macklin Kam (interference), 9:39; Lipon Kam (roughing), 14:51; Madaisky Kam (tripping), 14:51; Walker Vic (roughing), 14:51; Pilton Vic (cross checking), 18:00.

3rd Period-
6, Kamloops, Lipon 3   1:16. 7, Victoria, Dixon 1 (Zgraggen, Harrison), 3:36 (PP).
8, Kamloops, Willick 1   19:52 (EN).

Penalties-Bozon Kam (roughing, tripping), 1:40; Pilton Vic (roughing), 1:40; Rehill Kam (roughing), 3:30; Walker Vic (roughing), 3:30; Kanzig Vic (interference), 8:05; Gelsinger Kam (hooking), 12:19; Traber Vic (hooking), 17:28.

Shots on Goal-
Kamloops 14-13-13-40.
Victoria 8-8-11-27.

Power Play Opportunities-
Kamloops 2 / 9;
Victoria 2 / 7.

Goalies-
Kamloops, Kozun 0-0-0-0 (27 shots-24 saves).
Victoria, Rathjen 0-0-0-0 (23 shots-20 saves); Herringer 0-0-0-0 (16 shots-15 saves).

Referees-Sean Raphael (28).
Linesmen-Tim Digby (75), Chris Sweeting (137).


HOME: VICTORIA
PLAYERSPos.GA+/-
PIM
 Dixon, KoltonD10+1
0
A Fransoo, JordanD00-2
0
 Kanzig, KeeganD00+1
2
 Zgraggen, JesseD01-1
0
 Pilton, KadeD00-1
4
 Deacon, MitchLW00-1
0
10  Walker, Ben RW00-1
6
11  Hodges, StevenC010
0
A12  Traber, TimRW00-2
4
14  Walker, JackD00-2
0
17  Conroy, DakotaRW000
0
A18  Magee, BrandonC01-1
2
19  Nelson, LoganC00-1
2
20  Fisher, LoganC010
2
23  Halabi, ReidRW00-1
2
24  Spencer, ClayC20+1
0
28  Harrison, LukeRW01-2
0
29  Spagrud, JustinLW01+1
0
TEAM 3
0
 Goalies
GAMinsSHSVSPIM
 Rathjen, Jared
332:3123200
35  Herringer, Michael
127:0016150















ROYALS CLIPPED BY BLAZERS
Clay Spencer and Kolton Dixon record first WHL goals in 5-3 loss.

For Immediate Release
Friday, August 31, 2012

Victoria, BC – Friday night saw the Victoria Royals host the Kamloops Blazers at Planet Ice in Maple Ridge, BC for a pre-season clash. The Royals gave the nod in net to Jared Rathjen while the Blazers sent Taran Kozun between the pipes.

After an early Blazers’ penalty call, Clay Spencer notched his first goal of the pre-season for the Royals at the 2:56 mark, just 22 seconds into the man advantage. Veterans Brandon Magee and Steven Hodges registered assists on the Spencer marker. After Kamloops evened the score with their own powerplay strike, the Royals would kill off three more penalties before skating into the first intermission with a two-man disadvantage while the score remained a 1-1 tie.

The Blazers would capitalize early in the middle frame on the 5-on-3 advantage and go on to add another goal before the halfway point of the game. Michael Herringer took the reigns in the Royals’ net at the 12:31 mark of the period after Rathjen turned away 20 shots. Just 14 seconds after the goaltending change, Spencer added his second of the game to cut the Blazers’ lead to one. Logan Fisher and Justin Spagrud were each credited with assists on Victoria’s even strength tally. The teams would exchange powerplays in the closing stages of the frame, but the Blazers would keep a 3-2 edge after 40 minutes.

Kamloops added an early goal to begin the third period, but recent signee and Royals’ blueliner Kolton Dixon would pot a powerplay marker at 3:36 with a shot from the point. Jesse Zgraggen and Luke Harrisson recorded the helpers as the Royals now found themselves down by a goal once again. With time winding down and the Royals’ goaltender pulled for the extra attacker, the Blazers added an empty netter with eight seconds remaining to close out the game. Blazers 5 Royals 3.

Victoria went 2/7 = 28.6% on the power play, while Kamloops was 2/9 = 22.2%. The Blazers outshot the Royals 40-27.

Victoria will head back to Vancouver Island tomorrow before their next pre-season contest on Friday, September 7th when the Royals host the Kelowna Rockets. The game will be played at Planet Ice in Maple Ridge, BC once again with puck drop scheduled for 7:05 p.m.