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CdnSailor
03-18-2012, 09:39 PM
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k29/cdnsailor/KamloopsBlazers.gif and http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k29/cdnsailor/VictoriaRoyals.gif

Royals enter WHL playoffs against heavily favoured Kamloops in battle-ready condition

Rain Man was named best picture and the Berlin Wall was still up the last time a Victoria team played in the Western Hockey League playoffs, during the spring of 1989.

That was followed by five consecutive seasons of missing the post-season before the hapless Victoria Cougars franchise was moved to Prince George in 1994. Nothing has changed much for the latter — the Prince George Cougars are still missing the playoffs. But the Victoria Royals, the former Chilliwack Bruins before moving to the capital this season, are in and will meet the Kamloops Blazers in a Western Conference best-of-seven opening-round series starting Friday and Saturday in the Interior.

Games 3-4 are Tuesday, March 27, and Thursday, March 29, at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre. If required, the remaining games would be Friday, March 30, in Kamloops, Monday, April 2, at the Memorial Centre and Wednesday, April 4, in Kamloops.

But according to some pundits, the seventh-seed Royals (24-41-7) needn’t bother with the first WHL playoff games by a Victoria team in 23 years because it’s apparently a hopeless cause against the second-seed Blazers (47-20-5). That’s fine, bring on the bulletin board clippings, says Victoria GM and head coach Marc Habscheid.

“Some people are picking them [Blazers] in three games, not just four,” he chuckled.

“We shouldn't even go to Kamloops, the way it sounds. All I know is, we’ll show up Friday when the puck is dropped.”

Kamloops has its own sorry recent history with which to contend. The Blazers’ halcyon era of the three Memorial Cups was in the mid-1990s when Jerry, George, Kramer and Elaine were in first run on TV and Donovan Bailey was still running on the track. The Blazers haven’t been past the first round of the playoffs since 1999.

On paper, that 13-year streak of futility should end as Kamloops is clearly favoured to get past Victoria to the second round.

Habscheid, of course, isn’t giving away an inch of pre-series ground. But he does give credit where it’s due. The Royals were 1-6-1 this season against a Kamloops squad that had a remarkable turnaround after missing the playoffs last year.

“They are a good team and ranked highly [No. 8 among major-junior teams in North America],” Habscheid said.

“They have earned that status and are an older team built for this season.”

Which means the Blazers have more to lose, too.

“They've got all the pressure on them,” Habscheid said.

And an intriguing recent trend is that the Royals seem to be coming on while the Blazers have struggled of late. Both teams are 4-5-1 over their last 10 games, with the Royals already having gone through playoff-like games to clinch one of the final two post-season berths in the Western Conference, which they did in the final period of the final game of the regular season Friday.

“We’ve [essentially] been in the playoffs now for three weeks and are in that mode already,” Habscheid said.

“We’ve been scratching and clawing.”

cdheensaw@timescolonist.com



Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/sports/Royals+enter+playoffs+against+heavily+favoured+Kam loops+battle+ready+condition/6321715/story.html#ixzz1pWsimEyG

CdnSailor
03-18-2012, 11:28 PM
Note everyone, game 4 was originally scheduled for March 29th has been rescheduled for WEDNESDAY MARCH 28!! Game 3 & 4 will be back to back!!

pontcanna
03-19-2012, 02:08 PM
Predictions, anyone?

I'm hoping for better but I think it'll be Kamloops in 5.

IR_Hockey
03-19-2012, 11:31 PM
In 2012 the Royals are only 1-2-0-0 against the Blazers. This is significant because I think the Royals have improved as the season has gone along, especially in March. If the team that beat Portland shows up, I think it could be a long series.

From what I understand, Kamloops is dealing with the Habscheid curse, and have a terrible post season record. A few of our guys have playoff experience, so that should help. Hopefully our key young guys like Nelson, Walker, Conroy, and Jones can deal with the added pressure, and perform to the best of their ability.

CdnSailor
03-20-2012, 06:00 PM
Shaw Cable will be showing the complete 1st series of Victoria and Kamloops.

http://www.victoriaroyals.com/articl...und-one/119245

pontcanna
03-20-2012, 07:34 PM
Couldn't make that link work. How about this one:

http://victoriaroyals.com/article/2012-whl-playoffs-live-on-shaw-round-one

pontcanna
03-21-2012, 12:06 AM
Shaw to broadcast Royals, Blazers series

BY CLEVE DHEENSAW, TIMES COLONIST MARCH 20, 2012 10:32 PM

The Victoria Royals’ brand received an immense boost with Tuesday’s announcement that their Western Hockey League opening-round playoff series against the Kamloops Blazers will be shown live in its entirety across Western Canada on Shaw TV.

It certainly helped in the decision that this is the lone all-Canadian opening-round series in the Western Conference.

“We had to make a schedule change [to one of the Victoria dates] to make it work but the benefits far outweighed the complications of doing that,” said Dave Dakers, vice-president sports and entertainment for RG Properties, which owns the Royals and operates the Memorial Centre.

The best-of-seven series starts Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. in Kamloops. Games 3 and 4 are next Tuesday and Wednesday at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre. If required, the remaining games would be Friday, March 30, in Kamloops, Monday, April 2, at the Memorial Centre and Wednesday, April 4, in Kamloops.

“We don’t see any downside to this.”

Dan Russell will provide the call and Bill Wilms the colour for the broadcasts with Victoria’s Andy Neal hosting between periods. The seventh-seed Royals (24-41-7) are prohibitive underdogs against the second-seed Blazers (47-20-5).

CdnSailor
03-21-2012, 02:34 PM
The forward trio of Mike Forsyth, Tim Traber and Dakota Conroy might not get all the headlines, but they have earned the attention of the opposition since they came together in January. It is a line that has been placed against other teams’ top line and yet, in the last encounter Friday night against the Portland Winterhawks, they combined for two goals, two assists and a +5 in a 3-1 victory that clinched a playoff spot for the Victoria Royals. They have gotten to know each other’s style of play since Conroy was acquired from the Brandon Wheat Kings on January 9 and the three have continued to build a strong foundation for a difficult line to deal with for Royals’ foes.

“Right away we noticed chemistry between us three and Marc (Habscheid) recognized that too and he saw that as a positive and ever since we’ve just been creating offence and that’s a bonus for us,” said Forsyth, who led the charge Friday with a goal and an assist and was +3. “The big thing with us is we know where each other are on the ice and in the offensive zone and we just kind of feed off that. Every pass ends up on one of our sticks and if we just keep doing that, I think we can really contribute offensively.”

“We’ve been playing hard nosed and we got rewarded in the last game,” said Conroy. “We just do whatever Marc wants us to do and right now it’s just to bring energy and finish off our checks. Our line has shown that it’s capable of scoring goals, too.”

The hard work the three have shown to help keep the puck out of the Royals’ net has led to the trio chipping in at the other end of the ice.

“I think Conroy has helped them by adding some skill to the line-up and he’s a pretty heady player,” said Royals’ General Manager and Head Coach Marc Habscheid. “The other two guys have some skill too, but they work hard, they crash and bang and get their opportunities out of it.”

“(Conroy’s) got the scoring touch,” said Traber, who had three goals and 12 points on the season. “Mike and I are pretty hard. It’s nice when we’re working down low and he’s in the slot and we get him the puck and he can bury it, so it’s pretty nice.”

“First and foremost, our hard work helps,” added Forsyth. “Trabes and I like to pride ourselves on working hard and Conroy adds a lot of skill on our line. We just out-worked our opponents and we created a lot of turnovers and that’s how we scored the goals that we did Friday. They were two big goals.”

The Royals handed out their team hardware Saturday afternoon as Traber earned the Hardest Worker Award while Forsyth picked up Unsung Hero honors.

“I like to think that I contribute a lot to the team and guys know that I do," said Forsyth of his award. "Sometimes it doesn’t go as noticed as you’d like, but that award made me feel good about myself because no matter what I do, my teammates know that I’m doing my best. Sometimes you get looked over a little bit, but getting that award boosted my confidence a lot, that’s for sure.”

“We have a lot of guys that could have won that award, too, so I was fortunate enough to win that," saidTraber.

Now that line, and the rest of the Royals, gets set to face a Kamloops Blazers’ squad that was third in goals scored in the WHL with 290. The BC Division champs, led by 40-goal and 92-point man Brendan Ranford, pose a big challenge for the Royals, but one they are excited to accept.

“I know that we’re a gritty, hard-working team and I know anything can happen in the playoffs,” said Conroy, one of about a dozen playoff rookies on the Royals’ roster. “We have confidence in ourselves as every team should. Those two wins over Portland help as a young team and reassure us that we can play with any team in the league. It definitely gives us a boost, but we have to dust it off and look forward to the task at hand.”

“They’re a quick team and they have good all-around players,” said Traber. “We just have to work hard and do our systems properly and come together as a group like we have in the last five or six games.”

“They are very tough to beat in their building. They’ve got really good fans and no doubt it will be a packed house,” added Forsyth. “If we come in there and play our game and work as hard as we can, then our chances will be pretty good.”

pontcanna
03-23-2012, 11:02 PM
Royals lose 4-1 in first playoff game of their first Victoria season

BY CLEVE DHEENSAW, TIMESCOLONIST.COM MARCH 23, 2012 9:51 PM

KAMLOOPS — The seventh-seeded Victoria Royals played the first playoff game of their first season in enemy territory Friday night, with few signs of support in the announced crowd of 4,948 at Kamloops’ Interior Savings Centre.

Against the second-seeded Kamloops Blazers, the Royals struggled for much of a game that ended in a 4-1 loss.

Kamloops and Victoria have one thing in common — both cities are trying to exorcise demons of junior hockey seasons past.

This was the first WHL playoff game for a Victoria team since 1989. The wretched Cougars franchise then missed the playoffs for five consecutive seasons before being moved to Prince George in 1994. Victoria rejoined the WHL this season when the Chilliwack Bruins were moved to the capital.

Meanwhile, those three yellowing Blazers Memorial Cup national championship banners from 1992, 1994, 1995 hanging from the rafters here at Interior Savings Centre seem to mock a formerly proud Kamloops fan base that hasn’t seen its team advance past the first round of the playoffs since 1999.

Included in that sorry streak have been seven first-round series losses in four-game sweeps and two seasons of missing the playoffs. With Friday night’s win, the Blazers are still only 6-40 in the playoffs since 1999.

“We haven’t had good seasons since 1999 but I think it’s back,” said Jason Chambers, a Blazers season ticket holder for 15 seasons. “People are talking about the team a bit more around town, but I’d like to see a little more liveliness in the building.”

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series will be played Saturday night at Kamloops at 7 p.m.

The Royals are back home for games on Tuesday and Wednesday night.

the Royal Flush
03-24-2012, 10:25 AM
not really certain what game pontcanna was watching but i didnt think we struggled throughout the game...again our achilles heel was our weak goaltending...the big save at the right time was again not to be found...after watching the first goal i thought "my 82 year old mother in law has better lateral movement than Hamilton"...the game was in my opinion closer than the score reads...give Rathjen the start tonight...although i feel bad for the kid,the Hamilton experiment has been a colossal failure and should be terminated immediately...Habshied,for the love of God please give the team and the fans a chance to win one or two.

CdnSailor
03-24-2012, 10:59 AM
not really certain what game pontcanna was watching but i didnt think we struggled throughout the game...again our achilles heel was our weak goaltending...the big save at the right time was again not to be found...after watching the first goal i thought "my 82 year old mother in law has better lateral movement than Hamilton"...the game was in my opinion closer than the score reads...give Rathjen the start tonight...although i feel bad for the kid,the Hamilton experiment has been a colossal failure and should be terminated immediately...Habshied,for the love of God please give the team and the fans a chance to win one or two.

Royal Flush, you need to read the whole article. This was not written by Pontcanna. This was the article written in the TC and copied to this site. :groovy:
And yes, I do hope that our backup is in goal this evening to see what he can do.
Granted though, Hamilton played well against Portland helping the team into the playoffs.

the Royal Flush
03-24-2012, 11:43 AM
oooops...but everything else i wrote still stands...

pontcanna
03-24-2012, 12:00 PM
Blazers too hot for Royals

CLEVE DHEENSAW

KAMLOOPS — The “Blazers Legends” banner hanging here from the rafters of Interior Savings Centre lists names you’ve definitely heard of — Jarome Iginla, Shane Doan, Scott Niedermayer and Crofton’s Doug Bodger — and then some others who have largely been forgotten outside of this city.

As the second seed in the Western Conference, the Blazers believe they may have a roster this season that has the potential to add some new heroes to that banner.

Just to emphasize the point, each fan entering the arena Friday evening was given a white T-shirt with the Blazers logo above the single word: “Believe.”
And these Kamloops players indeed proved true believers in a 4-1 victory over the Victoria Royals to open their best-of-seven first-round Western Hockey League playoff series.

“I thought we played all right but they [Blazers] had a push in the second period [to break open a 1-1 game] and we didn’t react,” said Royals assistant captain Tim Traber.

“But it’s a seven-game series for a reason. We’ll push tomorrow to get a win.”
Blazers assistant captain Dylan Willick opened scoring in the series at 9:29 of the first period. Then 20year-old Czech import Robin Soudek welcomed himself back to the Royals lineup after injury with a laser shot that pinged in off the post at 11:36 on the power play.

A wicked assist from behind the net by Colin Smith allowed Swiss sensation Tim Bozon — the 39th ranked North Americanbased skater for the 2012 NHL draft and the Western Conference nominee for WHL rookie of the year — to find the short side to make it 2-1 for Kamloops at 4:13 of the second period.
Rookie Royals’ defenceman Keegan Kanzig, who put his team under a lot of pressure by drawing his third consecutive minor penalty, was punished when Blazers captain Chase Schaber scored to make it 3-1 after Kanzig had just stepped back onto the ice at 17:03 of the second. The wheels started coming off the Victoria bus when defenceman Austin Madaisky counted 47 seconds later.

“We played OK but they had that second-period push and we didn’t respond,” said Victoria’s lone scorer Soudek.
“We have to be more physical than we were today. We have to play our game. We let them play their game tonight.”

Keith Hamilton made 30 saves in goal for Victoria while Western Conference second-team all-star Cole Cheveldave stopped 26 shots for Kamloops, including the save of the night off Victoria forward Ben Walker in the third period.

“The second period lapse took the wind out of our sails,” said Royals head coach Marc Habscheid.
“I thought we were just OK tonight. Our best players have to be our best players. There is more there. We’re not going away.”

Game 2 is here tonight at 7 p.m. (live on Shaw TV) before the series shifts to the Island for Games 3-4 on Tuesday and Wednesday at Save-on-foods Memorial Centre.

pontcanna
03-24-2012, 12:02 PM
Yep, when you score 1 goal over 60 minutes it has to be the goaltender's fault when you lose.

the Royal Flush
03-24-2012, 12:05 PM
Yep, when you score 1 goal over 60 minutes it has to be the goaltender's fault when you lose.


please dont try to defend him...its a season of bad goaltending...

the Royal Flush
03-24-2012, 12:07 PM
Blazers too hot for Royals

CLEVE DHEENSAW

KAMLOOPS — The “Blazers Legends” banner hanging here from the rafters of Interior Savings Centre lists names you’ve definitely heard of — Jarome Iginla, Shane Doan, Scott Niedermayer and Crofton’s Doug Bodger — and then some others who have largely been forgotten outside of this city.

As the second seed in the Western Conference, the Blazers believe they may have a roster this season that has the potential to add some new heroes to that banner.

Just to emphasize the point, each fan entering the arena Friday evening was given a white T-shirt with the Blazers logo above the single word: “Believe.”
And these Kamloops players indeed proved true believers in a 4-1 victory over the Victoria Royals to open their best-of-seven first-round Western Hockey League playoff series.

“I thought we played all right but they [Blazers] had a push in the second period [to break open a 1-1 game] and we didn’t react,” said Royals assistant captain Tim Traber.

“But it’s a seven-game series for a reason. We’ll push tomorrow to get a win.”
Blazers assistant captain Dylan Willick opened scoring in the series at 9:29 of the first period. Then 20year-old Czech import Robin Soudek welcomed himself back to the Royals lineup after injury with a laser shot that pinged in off the post at 11:36 on the power play.

A wicked assist from behind the net by Colin Smith allowed Swiss sensation Tim Bozon — the 39th ranked North Americanbased skater for the 2012 NHL draft and the Western Conference nominee for WHL rookie of the year — to find the short side to make it 2-1 for Kamloops at 4:13 of the second period.
Rookie Royals’ defenceman Keegan Kanzig, who put his team under a lot of pressure by drawing his third consecutive minor penalty, was punished when Blazers captain Chase Schaber scored to make it 3-1 after Kanzig had just stepped back onto the ice at 17:03 of the second. The wheels started coming off the Victoria bus when defenceman Austin Madaisky counted 47 seconds later.

“We played OK but they had that second-period push and we didn’t respond,” said Victoria’s lone scorer Soudek.
“We have to be more physical than we were today. We have to play our game. We let them play their game tonight.”

Keith Hamilton made 30 saves in goal for Victoria while Western Conference second-team all-star Cole Cheveldave stopped 26 shots for Kamloops, including the save of the night off Victoria forward Ben Walker in the third period.

“The second period lapse took the wind out of our sails,” said Royals head coach Marc Habscheid.
“I thought we were just OK tonight. Our best players have to be our best players. There is more there. We’re not going away.”

Game 2 is here tonight at 7 p.m. (live on Shaw TV) before the series shifts to the Island for Games 3-4 on Tuesday and Wednesday at Save-on-foods Memorial Centre.


Cleve...Bodge is from Chemainus!!! His whole life before the NHL!!!

pontcanna
03-25-2012, 12:02 AM
Royals in a hole against Blazers

BY CLEVE DHEENSAW, TIMES COLONIST MARCH 24, 2012 10:26 PM

KAMLOOPS — On the base of an old bridge across the North Thompson River, someone has spray painted in large blue letters “Go Blazers.”

The local junior hockey team is integral to the identity of Canadian small towns in a way it can never be in larger markets. Added to the mix here in this quintessential junior hockey town is the sense that after a low decade in the Western Hockey League, the Kamloops Blazers are finally back.

They certainly appear to be as the second-seed Blazers took a 2-0 lead over the seventh-seed Victoria Royals in their best-of-seven opening round Western Conference playoff series with a 7-4 victory Saturday night before 4,527 fans. Kamloops’ 53-28 shots advantage spoke volumes, especially considering the Blazers spent the last half of the game in clampdown mode.

“We’ve got to believe in ourselves we can do it [rebound in the series],” said Royals forward Zane Jones.

The Interior Savings Centre is a gem of a rink that has the feature which old-school Victoria hockey fans constantly complain they miss most from the old Memorial Arena on Blanshard Street — a mezzanine walkway encircling the bowl between levels from which fans can watch the game while standing. Standing or sitting, these Kamloops fans know they have a team more than capable of advancing to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 1999.

“We’ve got to be better for the full 60 from puck drop to the end,” said Victoria defenceman Jordan Fransoo, a draft pick of the Ottawa Senators.

“We’ve got to stick with our style of game and we can’t go with them and their style.”

Jordan DePape, on a penalty shot, gave Kamloops the lead at 19:24 of the first period.

Then Tim Bozon scored his third goal of the playoffs in the first minute of the second period before Jamie Crooks responded for Victoria at 2:54. But a questionable goaltender interference call on Dakota Conroy allowed Brady Gaudet to restore Kamloops’ two-goal cushion at 8:15. Kamloops captain Chase Schaber counted at 9:03 and that was it for Victoria starting goalie Keith Hamilton as Jared Rathjen came in to the game. Not that it helped as Dylan Willick and Cole Ully continued scoring for Kamloops in the second period. Austin Carroll, Robin Soudek and Taylor Crunk with his first career WHL goal scored third-period goals for Victoria and DePape on the power play for Kamloops.

“We’re not going away,” said Royals GM and head coach Marc Habscheid.

“We believe we can win this series.”

Games 3-4 are Tuesday and Wednesday at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.

“Again a 10-12 minute stretch did us in like the first game [4-1 Kamloops victory Friday]. We’re coming home now and believe we can beat these guys,” said Victoria assistant captain Tim Traber.

pontcanna
03-25-2012, 12:10 AM
please dont try to defend him...its a season of bad goaltending...

Agreed that the 'keeping hasn't been up to snuff all season, but our D has been absolutely appalling as well. For all Rintoul's offensive upside and extensive experience, he has been a liability more often than not. Tonight's Rintoul "own goal" against Rathjen was a classic.

All in, Rathjen deserves the start on Tuesday. Both on his own merits and for development purposes.

the Royal Flush
03-25-2012, 11:00 AM
cant really argue with that...

pontcanna
03-25-2012, 08:26 PM
'Key guys' must step up, Habscheid says, as Royals return from Kamloops down 2-0

BY CLEVE DHEENSAW, TIMESCOLONIST.SPORTS MARCH 25, 2012 7:02 PM

KAMLOOPS — The biggest stars are attracted to the biggest stages.

That’s why Victoria Royals GM and head coach Marc Habscheid wants to see more out his top-drawer producers when his club’s best-of-seven opening-round Western Hockey League playoff series shifts to Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre Tuesday and Wednesday nights after the Kamloops Blazers won the first two games in the Interior.

“We need to see more from some of our key guys,” said Habscheid, after the Western Conference second-seed Blazers defeated the seventh-seed Royals 4-1 Friday night and 7-4 on Saturday evening.

“Your best players have to be your best players. Our top-six forwards have got to produce. If you are in that position [top-six forward], you have to produce. Right now, our depth guys are outplaying our top producers.”

It’s perhaps telling that rookie Taylor Crunk has the same points total in the series as Royals MVP and regular-season leading-scorer Jamie Crooks, with a goal and assist each. California native Crunk scored his first career WHL goal Saturday in the third period in garbage time.

Robin Soudek, the Royals’ third-leading scorer in the regular season, has shown fairly well in returning from injury, with two goals in the series. Steven Hodges, the quicksilver and elusive forward ranked No. 55 among North American skaters for the 2012 NHL draft, has two assists.

Rookie revelation Logan Nelson from Minnesota, the 108th-ranked North American skater for this year’s NHL draft, has a lone assist but has yet to otherwise leave an imprint on the series.

“The top guys are expected to stand up in the playoffs because it’s the biggest stage,” Crooks agreed.

“The top guys need to be the go-to guys in the playoffs.”

That’s what is happening on the other side, with the most touted Blazers indeed blazing. Rookie Swiss standout Tim Bozon, whose stock continues to rise for this summer’s NHL draft, scored three times over the first two games. Captain Chase Schaber had four points on two goals and two assists.

Kamloops is ranked ninth among all major-junior teams in North America and scores in bunches, a fact noted by observers of the series.

“It’s tough because we stay with them, but then let down for maybe 12 minutes in both games. And in both games that put us behind,” said rugged Victoria forward Zanes Jones.

“We were solid other than those 12 minutes in each game. We have to go the full 60 minutes and win the 50-50 battles against these guys. We’ve got to believe in ourselves and that we can do it [rebound to win the series].”

Victoria forward and assistant captain Tim Traber concurred.

“Those 10 to 12 minutes let us down both games, and they [the Blazers] used those moments to shove it in our faces a bit. But we’re coming home now in front of our large crowds.”

It’s a different stage, swinging from the Interior to the Island, but no less important this time of year in hockey.

ICE CHIPS: While Victoria famously goes for hosting fewer but more select prestige events such as Commonwealth Games, FIFA and world curling, the signs welcoming people to Kamloops proudly proclaim it as “Canada’s Tournament Capital.” The city has built an impressive array of fields, diamonds and courts to back that up. It doesn’t matter what it is — from kids’ sports to old-timer events — this city wants those heads on hotel pillows and bums in restaurant seats . . .
Victoria Mayor Dean Fortin is a native of Kamloops, which could perhaps lead to some conflicting emotions this week.

bobsaget
03-25-2012, 11:14 PM
'Key guys' must step up, Habscheid says, as Royals return from Kamloops down 2-0

BY CLEVE DHEENSAW, TIMESCOLONIST.SPORTS MARCH 25, 2012 7:02 PM

KAMLOOPS — The biggest stars are attracted to the biggest stages.

That’s why Victoria Royals GM and head coach Marc Habscheid wants to see more out his top-drawer producers when his club’s best-of-seven opening-round Western Hockey League playoff series shifts to Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre Tuesday and Wednesday nights after the Kamloops Blazers won the first two games in the Interior.

“We need to see more from some of our key guys,” said Habscheid, after the Western Conference second-seed Blazers defeated the seventh-seed Royals 4-1 Friday night and 7-4 on Saturday evening.

“Your best players have to be your best players. Our top-six forwards have got to produce. If you are in that position [top-six forward], you have to produce. Right now, our depth guys are outplaying our top producers.”

It’s perhaps telling that rookie Taylor Crunk has the same points total in the series as Royals MVP and regular-season leading-scorer Jamie Crooks, with a goal and assist each. California native Crunk scored his first career WHL goal Saturday in the third period in garbage time.

Robin Soudek, the Royals’ third-leading scorer in the regular season, has shown fairly well in returning from injury, with two goals in the series. Steven Hodges, the quicksilver and elusive forward ranked No. 55 among North American skaters for the 2012 NHL draft, has two assists.

Rookie revelation Logan Nelson from Minnesota, the 108th-ranked North American skater for this year’s NHL draft, has a lone assist but has yet to otherwise leave an imprint on the series.

“The top guys are expected to stand up in the playoffs because it’s the biggest stage,” Crooks agreed.

“The top guys need to be the go-to guys in the playoffs.”

That’s what is happening on the other side, with the most touted Blazers indeed blazing. Rookie Swiss standout Tim Bozon, whose stock continues to rise for this summer’s NHL draft, scored three times over the first two games. Captain Chase Schaber had four points on two goals and two assists.

Kamloops is ranked ninth among all major-junior teams in North America and scores in bunches, a fact noted by observers of the series.

“It’s tough because we stay with them, but then let down for maybe 12 minutes in both games. And in both games that put us behind,” said rugged Victoria forward Zanes Jones.

“We were solid other than those 12 minutes in each game. We have to go the full 60 minutes and win the 50-50 battles against these guys. We’ve got to believe in ourselves and that we can do it [rebound to win the series].”

Victoria forward and assistant captain Tim Traber concurred.

“Those 10 to 12 minutes let us down both games, and they [the Blazers] used those moments to shove it in our faces a bit. But we’re coming home now in front of our large crowds.”

It’s a different stage, swinging from the Interior to the Island, but no less important this time of year in hockey.

ICE CHIPS: While Victoria famously goes for hosting fewer but more select prestige events such as Commonwealth Games, FIFA and world curling, the signs welcoming people to Kamloops proudly proclaim it as “Canada’s Tournament Capital.” The city has built an impressive array of fields, diamonds and courts to back that up. It doesn’t matter what it is — from kids’ sports to old-timer events — this city wants those heads on hotel pillows and bums in restaurant seats . . .
Victoria Mayor Dean Fortin is a native of Kamloops, which could perhaps lead to some conflicting emotions this week.


Royals have no chance, Habby can talk all he wants about how his best players need to be the best, but in reality Blazers best players are better than them by a mile and have 5 times the depth. Add to the fact that the Royals goaltending is terrible this series is done in 4.

Sauriol
03-27-2012, 07:10 PM
Is habby jr still playing? if so get him out and put him into a swimming class it was al he was good at in chilliwack.

pontcanna
03-27-2012, 11:15 PM
Yet another second period collapse. Rathjen lost the plot completely (let's hold our breath for next season's netminder tryouts) and couldn't stop a beach-ball. Mind you, the Blazers were gifted many shots in the slot by our D. The irony is the best D and goaltending we saw all night was when our net was empty.

It's always tough when your hopes get dashed after a strong start. Then we blow it, claw ahead again and blow it again. The legs were looking very tired by the midway mark of the third. I missed the serious injury to the Blazer's captain (I must have been talking to a friend or on the dreaded BB) but I'm advised by someone watching at home that he was taken to hospital by ambulance :(

I can't say I wasn't entertained, in a "high intensity shinny" kind of way, but I think both coaches will be less than satisfied with the loosey-goosey defensive play. I don't hold out a lot of hope for tomorrow night, being kids with pride I'm sure they'll give it their best to avoid a sweep, but somewhere in their subconscious they're probably thinking of heading home rather than Kamloops on Thursday.

CdnSailor
03-27-2012, 11:30 PM
With two short handed goals, 3 for 5 on the PP, what can I say.................. :dead:

pontcanna
03-27-2012, 11:37 PM
After 23 years, WHL playoffs return

BY MARIO ANNICCHIARICO, TIMESCOLONIST.COM MARCH 27, 2012 10:30 PM

After a 23-year hiatus, Victoria-area Western Hockey League fans welcomed back the playoffs Tuesday night at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.

More than 5,000 spectators were in their seats to support the Victoria Royals in Game 3 of their Western Conference quarter-final. The Royals played the first two games of the best-of-seven series on the road, and lost both to the Kamloops Blazers.

Coincidentally, it was the same opponent — the Blazers — who the local WHLers played way back in the 1988-89 post-season. The Victoria Cougars lost that series 5-3 when the West Division played a best-of-nine series, with just four of six teams qualifying in the division. The Cougars moved to Prince George in 1994, after five lean years without post-season play.

"I was here for that last series," said local superfan Jody Rice. "The Cougars were up 3-2 and they lost the last three games to the Blazers. That was in the old Memorial Arena. It was a best-of-nine and they blew it.

"It was a horrible finish — horrible. But it's very exciting to have it back. I've supported everything in town from the BCHL to the ECHL, but the WHL is my favourite league. It's a lot of fun having the WHL playoffs back."

The Royals were welcomed with a Sea of Blue as fans waved some of the 4,000 towels that read "We are Royal blue, are you?" which were handed out.

Kamloops won 7-5. The series now stands 3-0 for the Blazers with Game 4 tonight at 7 at Memorial Centre.

pontcanna
03-28-2012, 12:05 AM
Blazers put the heat on Royals

BY CLEVE DHEENSAW, TIMESCOLONIST.COM MARCH 27, 2012 10:38 PM


Perhaps it is only perversely fitting the Victoria Royals are on the verge of elimination in the Western Hockey League playoffs because of defence, goaltending and special teams — because that is the triple-axel of problems which have bedeviled the club all season.

You only have to look at one statistic to see why the seventh-seed Royals are down 3-0 to the second-seed Kamloops Blazers in their best-of-seven opening-round Western Conference series.

The 18 goals allowed by Victoria in the three games stands out like Mount Baker on a clear day. So do Kamloops’ five special-team goals Tuesday night — three on the power play and two short-handed — in the Blazers’ 7-5 victory in Game 3 before 5,255 fans at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.

The Royals’ season hangs in the balance in Game 4 tonight at 7 inside the Memorial Centre.

“It’s reality . . . the way it is,” said Victoria GM and head coach Marc Habscheid, about the dire situation his club faces.

“To use the old clichés, it’s one shift, one game at a time. Our guys never quit. They competed like heck.”

Not even Jamie Crooks’ hat-trick was enough to save the Royals on this night.

“I would like to get a win more than a hat-trick,” said Crooks.

“[Today] is a new day and we have to come back and win. It’s not going to be easy. But we’re going to try to do it [win the series]. You can’t get too high or too low.”

Victoria got off to the start it so desperately needed by taking a 2-0 lead on first-period goals by Zane Jones and Crooks.

Kamloops suddenly didn’t look as invincible with captain Chase Schaber out with a serious cut incurred early in the first period and best defenceman Austin Madaisky sitting out the first game of a two-game league suspension for a hit on Jones in Game 2.

And the Royals received a gift in the final minute of the first period when an apparent Kamloops goal was waved off because of a questionable goaltender-interference penalty. But the hockey gods have a way of exacting justice — Dylan Willick of Kamloops scored short-handed on the ensuing Victoria power play to make it 2-1 at 54 seconds of the second period.

A stoppable shot by Tim Bozon tied it 2-2 at 2:55 and Landon Cross on the power play gave Kamloops a 3-2 lead as a hush fell over the crowd. But two follow-up tap-ins by Crooks at 5:51 and 8:26 of the second — after respective shots by defencemen Jordan Fransoo and Jesse Zgraggen pinged off posts — put Victoria back into the lead at 4-3.

An inability by Victoria to clear the puck led to Jordan DePape’s power-play goal as Kamloops levelled 4-4 at 14:55. Then Matt Needham simply blew past the Victoria defence to give Kamloops the lead with an unassisted shorthanded goal at 17:26.

That was it for Royals crease starter Jared Rathjen, replaced by Keith Hamilton, who was set upon almost immediately by JC Lipon with a power-play goal at 18:48 to make it 6-4.

“It’s frustrating to lose three straight. We have lapses that cost us,” said Royals captain Hayden Rintoul.

Austin Carroll got Victoria to 6-5 at 1:20 of the third period. But Colin Smith restored Kamloops’ two-goal lead at 6:38.

islander
03-28-2012, 10:36 AM
I heard on the post game show that the Blazer's captain was taken to the hospital with a serious skate cut to the back of his leg.

rednex50
03-28-2012, 10:45 AM
I just got finished watching all 3 games I PVR'd (man was that tough not peeking on the results).

Game 1 - you can't hang that loss totally on Hamilton. Chances where about 16 to 6 in favour of Loopyville...the team lost it in about a 10 minute span in the 2nd. PLus, other than the playing injured Soudek, who up front showed up? And OMG, is Rintoul the 2nd coming of Nick Holden?? My god what a defensive liability. So many missed assignments down low, non hustle after missing a hit. If Brandon Manning where still here, he would have ripped his head off by now.

Game 2 - more of the Rintoul failure. I'll take Kanzig taking those roughing/check from behind penalties over lazidaisey effort. Hamilton kept this team a game they didn't deserve to be in for the first 19:38. Gotta love Wilms throwing Hamilton under the bus on that penalty shot (IMHO, it wasn't a clear cut breakaway, so it should have been a hooking 2 minute penalty, but whatever). Depape has a great shot, and made a a great shot, so saying that Hamilton botched the PS is BS to me. Again, 2nd period melt down. Personally, if I was Habby, I would have called everyone in on that lack luster 2nd and questioned their manhood. There was no fire. No fight back. We know if Gogal, or Bhungal or Magee was in the line up, they would have dropped the gloves to set a statement. There was no statement made. Kamloops did whatever they wanted, when they wanted, with ease. Do they have a more complete roster, yes. More experience, yes. But that doesn't mean you bend over and kiss your ass goodbye. You are playing for the crest on the front of your jersey, not to mention, a possible job for next season. They did find a way to score 3 in a very lack luster 3rd to at least make a game of it. Horrible game.

Game 3 - came out on fire. Was surprised to see Rathjen between the pipes as it wasn't Hamilton who lost game 2. I felt pulling him at 4-1 in game 2 was more of setting a statement to the team than it was his personal performance...they left him high and dry bad. Rathjen seemed nervous at first, looked like he worked the kinks out, 2-0 Bruins (sorry, can't resist :P ) after 1, and then that deflating ricochet goal (post, off Rathjen's back and in the net) just unravelled him. From that moment on, he was battling on routing shots. I know Habby wants to help Rathjen get the confidence to take it to the next level, but he should have been pulled after that 2nd goal. You could tell he was deflated, fragile and ready to break. Again, a 2nd period meltdown, even though the boys did try to fight back. That game was definately not a goaltending clinic. The boys actually showed some fightback. Not a great game by either team...Kamloops just happened to be able to outscore their mistakes.

Does Kamloops deserve to be up 3-0 in the series? IMHO, no. Are they the class of the series, hell ya. Neither Kamloops or Victoria has played a full 60 minutes in any of the 3 previous games. Take the 2nd period out of the 3 games, and this series is a lot closer than the numbers dictate. Will Kamloops win the series...yes unless the team ends up with the plague. That being said, and because of the lack of 60 minutes by either team, I do think Habby will manage his team to take game 4 before losing out game 5 in Loopyville. I always thought it would be a 5 game series...so who knows.

CdnSailor
03-28-2012, 03:45 PM
I would love to see a Cinderella series...... going to 7 games, but we all know that will not happen.
Tonight would be a nice send off to the fans by winning one game in the series.
Maybe with a summer of dryland training and new players and maybe a Captain that will lead the team we will then have a team that is worth watching and fighting for next season.

CdnSailor
03-28-2012, 04:03 PM
By Staff Writer - Victoria News
Published: March 28, 2012 9:00 AM
Updated: March 28, 2012 10:13 AM

Jamie Crooks' hat trick wasn't enough and now it's do-or-die for the Victoria Royals.

The Kamloops Blazers won 7-5 on Tuesday and take a 3-0 series lead into Game 4 Wednesday night at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.

The game was full of momentum shifts that ultimately went Kamloops' way.

Zane Jones and Crooks scored to give the Royals a 2-0 lead in the first period but the Blazers came back to make it 3-2 on goals from Dylan Willock, Tim Bozon and Landon Cross.

Crooks then scored back-to-back goals in the second period to regain the lead 4-3. But it was short lived. The Blazers struck back with goals from Jordan DePape, Matt Needham and JC Lipon to close out the second period with a 6-4 lead.

Royals forward Austin Carroll scored to make it 6-5 early in the third but that was it for the Royals as Colin Smith scored to make it 7-5 five minutes later.

Rookie netminder Jared Rathjen started but was shaky, giving up the lead twice, though he managed 16 saves on 20 shots. Keith Hamilton replaced Rathjen late in the second period and made 10 of 12 stops.

Crooks leads the Royals with four goals and an assist, tied for fourth overall in WHL playoff goal scoring.

The Blazers were back at Memorial Centre on Wednesday, crashing tables and doing impressions.

pontcanna
03-28-2012, 10:56 PM
I guess that was our best game of the series, outshooting Loops by a decent margin and only losing the second period 2-0 :)

Hamilton blew the angle on the first goal and went down too soon on the third (admittedly a fine shot, but). Blazers did a good shutdown job in the third, though our effort was still present. Bit of a sense of inevitability to the result.

So that's the season. Exciting start with Sundher, exciting finish against the Winterhawks. In the middle? Let's not talk about that too much. The fans were remarkably good all season, both in numbers, patience and general enthusiasm regardless of score. The screens made a big difference to the entertainment value and Marty was The Man as always.

I thought the over-agers should have been brought out at the end (I vaguely recall memories of that kind of thing years ago) to say a definite goodbye at the end of their junior careers, but you can't have everything.

Highlanders and Shamrocks for the summer. Well, the Stanley and Memorial Cups to watch first anyway :)

pontcanna
03-28-2012, 11:44 PM
Victoria Royals out of playoffs after losing four straight to Kamloops Blazers

BY CLEVE DHEENSAW, TIMESCOLONIST.COM MARCH 28, 2012 10:11 PM

The Kamloops Blazers, superior in all aspects of the game, put a decisive end to the Royals first Western Hockey League season in Victoria with a 4-1 victory Wednesday night at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.

But the standing ovation from the 5,277 fans, even in loss, meant a lot to the Royals players.

“It was an emotional day. I had tears in my eyes. It wasn’t fun but that’s how life is,” said graduating 20-year-old Royals forward Robin Soudek.

“We tried our best, that’s for sure.”

The Royals franchise, formerly known as the Bruins and shifted from Chilliwack to the capital, were swept 4-0 in the best-of-seven Western Conference opening-round playoff series.

“It was a unique season. Not very often does a franchise move,” said Victoria GM and head coach Marc Habscheid.

“I’m proud of the season, of getting established, and making the playoffs.”

The Blazers franchise, meanwhile, exorcised some demons by advancing past the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 1999.

Now, at least for a few days, their fans can indeed party like it’s 1999.

Kamloops was full value for its conference No. 2 ranking against the seventh-seed Royals and now likely awaits the third-seed Portland Winterhawks, who lead the sixth-seed Kelowna Rockets 3-0 in their opening-round series heading into Game 4 tonight.

“They deserved to win,” said Habscheid.

When you go 1-10-1 — as the Royals did this regular- and post-season against Kamloops — you just have to figure that team has got your number.

“The guys battled hard all series and that’s all we can ask for,” said Royals captain Hayden Rintoul, a graduating 20-year-old.

“It goes by really fast. But I couldn’t ask for a better place to play my last season.”

Ben Walker struck for Victoria just 1:40 into the game but Matt Needham leveled with a bullet from the left side at 12:13. The Royals, as to be expected from a desperate team, came out hard and outshot Kamloops 11-6 in the opening frame. But they were left to wonder what might have been had Logan Nelson, like Walker a native of Minnesota, been able to convert two clear chances on goal in the first period.

“I thought we played some good games but sometimes you don’t get the bounces,” said Nelson, the 108th-ranked North American skater for this summer’s NHL draft.

But the standing ovation at the end will stay with him.

“It’s something I will remember the rest of my life,” said Nelson.

“It was a tear jerker and really sent shivers up the spine.”

Brendan Ranford, a seventh-round draft pick of the Philadelphia Flyers, scored his first of the playoffs and Dylan Willick rifled one to the top corner as Kamloops took a 3-1 lead in the second period.

The second period bedeviled Victoria the entire series with Kamloops outscoring the Royals 15-4 over the four middle frames. [B](Sorry Cleve, that was actually 16-3)

“We suffered second-period breakdowns in each game and that was the difference in the series,” said Soudek.

Willick closed it out with an empty-net goal in the third period.

The Royals could not take advantage of two key Kamloops absences — captain Chase Schaber was out after incurring a deep skate gash on his leg in Game 3 and top-defenceman Austin Madaisky, a fifth-round draft pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets, sat out the second game of a two-game league suspension for a hit in Game 2.

It was the second-consecutive four-game sweep loss to end a hockey season in the Memorial Centre after the Alaska Aces swept the Victoria Salmon Kings in the ECHL Western Conference final last spring on Blanshard. The Aces went on to win the Kelly Cup, so maybe that’s a harbinger for the Blazers and their Memorial Cup aspirations.

rednex50
03-28-2012, 11:46 PM
Habby did that last year with Einhorn, Manning, Howse and Horak against Spokane. Who knows, maybe they were gassed and had no legs left.

Good luck to Soudek, as Wilms called it "likely the most pro ready Overager in the WHL today".

Looking ahead to next season...

Goaltending - needs improvement. Vollrath should be in the mix. Not sure if Habby will try to move Hamilton and/or Rathjen to bring in a true #1 while bringing Vollrath in? But an .870 SV% is no where near good enough in this league.

Defense...gonna be thin...Stahl has to get signed or he is a free agent. If he gets a contract (one way or the other), he's gone pro. Leaves Habby Jr as a potential OA, Franzoo, Kanzig, Zgraggen , Cote and Pilton as the projected Top 6 -- not quite the experience you want on your back end (possibly yet another deal for an OA or 19 yr old D-man in the offseason or early next.

Forwards...I think they have some young talent, but will likely lose Crooks. He should get drafted (rounds 3-4), and I very much doubt he'll be left here unless whoever drafts him has reached their limit of 50 Pro Contracts or the NHL is on strike and no room for him in the AHL/ECHL. I expect Ben Walker to get a Pro-Invite (returned), Hodges drafted (rounds 4-5, returned), Traber Pro-Invited (returned), Jones drafted (Rounds 4-5, returned), Magee possibly drafted rounds 6-7 and returned. Forsyth should return as an OA.

IF, Victoria has any prayers answered, Stahl gets returned for his OA year (which I highly doubt personally) and wears the "C". If he doesn't, expect it to be either Magee or Traber wearing it.

Not only will the Royals loose Soudek and Rintoul (who I thought was a tool in the series, no pun intended), but I expect them to lose Stahl and Crooks, which is a lot of offense to loose on a team that has to outscore its defensive liabilities. I almost expect a lot of the same next season. And next season will also be the first season that this franchise will have to stand on its own 2 feet and not live in the shadow of Chilliwack...and will start to feel less and less of the team that we in the valley loved for its 5 years here.

Good luck to all my boys. You'll never be forgotten. Go BRUINS Go!

the Royal Flush
03-31-2012, 11:35 AM
Goaltending. If we can get a bag of used pucks for Hamilton that would be a steal for us. Rathjen needed some more games to develop,but this season was wasted by a coach that could not see the forest for the trees(i/e playing hamilton far beyond his abilities).A team cannot go far with a backup,backup combination. I still have hope for Rathjen,but hope Hamilton is a goner(quite possibly the most ineffective starter in my 30 years of watching WHL hockey).WE NEED A STARTING GOALIE!!!

Defense. Stahl is okay with me and will be back as an overager.Kanzig needs to learn to be MEAN...REAL GODDAMN MEAN. When life gives you a size and weight advantage like his,it must be utilized.A miserable,mean tough Kanzig effectively shuts down his side of the ice and causes opponents grief. Fransoo is a keeper,as well as Cote(Brett...shoot lots of pucks over the summer).Pilton need a real high calorie diet as well to put some meat on those twigs of his. Habby Jr...sorry its over for your WHL career. I am cool with Zgraggen.

Forwards. I am okay with the guys we have now and hope that another year of physical maturity(i/e growing from boys to young men) will make them all 10 pounds heavier.I would like the team to find one or two "special players" hidden somewhere that come in and take charge(hard to find though).

Final Summary. From the blueline back we need help and some practical thinking by our G.M and coaching staff.We are building for the next two seasons so lets not piss them away on ego's.

Sincerely looking forward to many more enjoyable years of WHL hockey. Win...or Lose.