Round 1 Victoria and Kamloops

[bobsaget]

'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]

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]

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]

With two short handed goals, 3 for 5 on the PP, what can I say..................

[pontcanna]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.