An overtime goal by the Royals’ Brayden Tracey propelled Victoria to a 3-2 win over the Prince George Cougars on Tuesday night from the RE/MAX Hub in Kamloops.
It was the Royals first win of the season. Tracey led the way with a three point night (2g-1a) and Connor Martin was solid between the pipes for Victoria with 43 saves.
SEEMS LIKE YESTERDAY
The Royals hit the win column tonight for the first time in 391 days. Victoria’s last win came on March 11, 2020 in their final game before the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was also a 3-2 Royals win, but in regulation time.
CAREER MARKS
A pair of Royals hit career milestones for points tonight in Kamloops. Brayden Tracey tallied point 150 for his WHL career when he snapped a power play goal to open the scoring. Team Captain Tarun Fizer hit the century mark for career points as well. Point number 100 came on a second period assist.
FIRST IN THE DUB
Gannon Laroque scored his first WHL goal this evening when he fired a wrist shot past Cougars’ goaltender Tyler Brennan. The 17-year-old defenceman lit the lamp in his seventh career WHL game. Goaltender Connor Martin earned his first win in the Western Hockey League tonight as well. Martin stopped 43 shots and was named the game’s third star.
PENALTY KILLING IT
The Royals have faced some adversity on the penalty kill this year. Coming into tonight’s contest they were a league low 61.1% on the kill, but the team climbed up the ranks by stopping Prince George on all three of their power plays chances. It was the first time this season that the Royals did not allow a power play goal.
Next Game: The Royals welcome the Vancouver Giants to the RE/MAX HUB at Prospera Place in Kelowna tomorrow night. Puck drop at 7:05 p.m.
Scoring:
Royals – Brayden Tracey 2g-1a, Tarun Fizer 2a, Gannon Laroque 1g, Kalem Parker 1a, Brandon Cutler 1a
Prince George – Johnny Hooker 2g, Ethan Browne 2a, Koehn Ziemmer 1a
Goaltending:
Royals – Connor Martin (W) – 64:36 min, 43 saves on 45 shots.
Prince George – Tyler Brennan (L) – 64:35 min, 27 saves on 30 shots.
Powerplay:
Royals – 1/2= 50.0%.
Prince George – 0/3= 0.0%.