February 2, 2019 Victoria, BC (ISN) – After a 4-2 Friday night victory, the Victoria Royals would drop a 2-1 shootout decision to the Tri-City Americans Saturday night in front of 4851 fans to split the two game series at Save On Foods Arena in Victoria, BC.
With the Royal’s loss, it is the fourth year in a row that the two teams have split the Victoria series.
Although the shot volume wasn’t there, facing only twenty-four shots on goal in the game, Royal’s starting goaltender Griffen Outhouse would stand on his head as the Americans shot quality would make themselves dangerous most of the game against an otherwise stingy Victoria goal tender.
The Tri-City Americans, quick out of the gates, would open the scoring halfway through the first period, on a power play marker by Parker Aucoin, beating Outhouse over the blocker stick side to set the tempo. Teamates Kyle Olson and Aaron Hyman would register the assists on the play.
Victoria would answer three minutes later when Royal’s forward and Swiss National Hockey team member Phillip Schultz would find the back of the net for his eighth goal of the season, beating net minder Beck Warm five hole to even the game.
American’s Warm, bringing his lunch bucket to the game would find work between the pipes, turning aside 33-34 shots in regular time, in part due to his team’s five penalties including a five minute major for fist-to-cuffs, to start the second period to record the win.
The Royal’s, showing their flexibility to skate as well as play the physical side of the puck, would take the steam out of Tri-City skates in the second period as the visitors would look to push the puck quicker out of their end to test the Royals.
The Tri-City Americans despite the Royal’s seond period efforts, would still find their quality opportunities to take the lead in the game including a short handed chance by Riley Sawchuk, and a dangerous a shot in close by Paycan Bjorklund, beating Royal’s defensemen Jake Kustra, to rebound off Outhouse and onto the stick of a waiting Connor Bouchard. Victoria’s Outhouse, showing his flexibility, would stretch from post to post, robbing Bouchard with his right pad to keep the game tied.
Both teams would get their chance to record the win in the over time frame. The Royals would get a power play opportunity on a Tri-City interference call in the first minute of the fourth period call that bared no fruit, while Tri-City’s Aaron Hyman, coming off the bench in the dying seconds, would get a chance but Outhouse would turn his attempt aside to send the game to the shootout to decide the indifference.
Tri-City Americans would solve the game’s first star Griffen Outhouse in the 2-1 shootout with goals by Nolan Yaremko and Kyle Olson solve the game. Royal’s D-Jay Jerome would be the lone Victoria scorer in the six shot shootout.
With the loss, the Victoria Royals take three of four possible points from the two game series and now prepare to host two more American teams versus the Seattle Thunderbirds February 5th and 6th in another two game series, and the Spokane Chiefs Friday February 8th.
Three Stars in the game:
First Star – Griffen Outhouse – Victoria Royals
Second Star – Tanner Sidaway – Victoria Royals
Third Star – Beck Warm – Tri-City Americans
