Royals fall 6-1 as 16th victim of Rockets’ home-ice win streak

Playing at Kelowna Rockets' Prospera Place arena is a futile exercise for the Victoria Royals and WHL teams

rockets-vic.jpg Colton Sissons (right) and the Kelowna Rockets won their 16th straight game on home ice with a 6-1 victory Wednesday over Jason Fransoo and the Victoria Royals.

Marissa Baecker/Contributor

Six different players scored for the Kelowna Rockets as they drummed out their 16th straight victory at home, popping the Victoria Royals 6-1 on Wednesday.

It’s also the streaking Rockets’ 30th win of the season—and seventh in a row—as they are now solely in first place atop the B.C. Division for the first time this season, two points ahead of the Kamloops Blazers.

After a scoreless opening period, the Rockets blew the game open in the second period with five goals, including two in a 33-second span. Damon Severson and Ryan Olsen paced the Rockets attack with a goal and two assists each. Myles Bell scored his team-leading 27th goal and captain Colton Sissons earned one  assist to extend his point-scoring streak to 12 games.

The Royals were out-shot 38-18 as Kelowna goaltender Jordon Cooke recorded his club-record 14th consecutive victory. Scoring the Royals’ lone goal was newcomer Trent Lofthouse, unassisted late in the third period. The game also featured a couple of scraps in a feisty first period. The Rockets opened the scoring in the second period with five unanswered goals.

It’s the Rockets third win of four meetings with the Royals so far this season.

Royals host Blazers Tuesday, benefit KidSport

If the fans sitting next to you at Tuesday’s (Jan. 15) Victoria Royals game look sleepy, they probably are.

The Kamloops Blazers visit Tuesday and Wednesday nights next week. Tonight the Royals visit the Everett Silvertips and tomorrow the Seattle Thunderbirds.

Tuesday night’s match against the Blazers will have hundreds of recreational hockey players and friends from Victoria’s Island Hockey 101 league at the game. Hockey 101 has grown to 70 teams this year and uses various ice slots ranging from 3 p.m. on a weekend to 10:45 p.m. on a weeknight.

So don’t blame your Royals neighbour for yawning, he/she may have been playing hockey until midnight the night before. Tickets for Hockey 101 players and friends are still available with $2 going to support KidSport Victoria.

sports@vicnews.com

Victoria News