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View Full Version : ROYALS DETERMINED FOR BOUNCE BACK WEEKEND



CdnSailor
11-23-2011, 12:16 PM
The Victoria Royals had, to put it very mildly, an off weekend. Out scored 19-6 in back-to-back losses to the Vancouver Giants and Kootenay Ice, the latter at home, has left the club with an 11-12-0-1 record. Although the team was humbled this weekend, look for that to spark a revved up focus as the team heads into a weekend road trip to face Kamloops and Kelowna.

“We had the day off Sunday to go home and look in the mirror,” said Royals’ defenceman Zach Habscheid. “Everyone knows that we have to be better. 19 goals in two games is obviously very embarrassing and we have to respond with a hard week of practice and have to be better.”

The team has spent plenty of time to look over their effort in video and for forward Jamie Crooks, one aspect of the Royals’ game really stood out from a forwards’ perspective.

“We’ve got to work on the offensive zone and protect the puck there. We were too easy to play against this weekend,” said Crooks, who had a goal Friday in Vancouver, his 10th of the season. “As well as the defensive zone, we kind of fell apart there a bit, too.”

The Royals face the Blazers Friday, a club that has points in three straight games. Then it’s off to Kelowna Saturday to meet a Rockets squad that has won three of four, with an overtime loss in Vancouver the only blemish over that time. In fact, the next six games the Royals have on the schedule will be against one of those two teams and a bounce back is huge against two division rivals.

“Hopefully that was rock bottom for us,” said Habscheid. “We have two big games this weekend and we’re working hard to be ready for them.”

“This weekend will be big for us. It will be good to see what the boys have for character and to see what happens,” added Crooks.

The Royals’ next home game is Tuesday, November 29th when the Kamloops Blazers visit the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre for a 7:05 p.m. start. For further details or to purchase your tickets today, visit the Victoria Royals Ticket Office, www.victoriaroyals.com, or call 250-220-7889.