Coming off a weekend sweep of the Prince George Cougars, the Victoria Royals head into this week’s Western Hockey League play as one of three teams atop the B.C. Division.
The Royals host one of those clubs, the Kamloops Blazers, for a pair of games this Friday and Saturday night (7:05 p.m. puck drop) at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre. Vancouver, also 2-0 hosts Seattle and Spokane this weekend.
Victoria thrilled the home fans in their season-opening games, chalking up a 2-1 win in a shootout Friday then dispatching the Cougars 5-1 in round 2 on Saturday night.
Shorthanded goals from Kaid Oliver and Tyler Lees gave the locals a 2-1 lead after one period in the second contest, and goalies Griffen Outhouse and Dean McNabb shut the door after that as the Royals pushed their record to 2-0.
D-Jay Jerome, Dino Kambeitz and Ralph Jarratt also scored in the win, with Jarratt, Kambeitz and Oliver picking up two points each. Ethan Browne replied for Prince George.
Kambeitz was the hero in Friday night’s game, scoring in the fifth round of a shootout to give the locals the win. Outhouse stopped 28 of 29 shots and was named the game’s first star for his efforts.
The game was scoreless until Josh Maser beat Outhouse 4:49 into the third period, but Royals newcomer Brandon Cutler knotted the score with just 1:07 left in regulation time, a goal that ultimately sent the game into overtime.
Victoria outshot Prince George 5-2 in the extra frame.
