ROYALS TOPPLED BY SILVERTIPS.

Victoria falls 3-2 to Everett.

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, February 8^th, 2012

Victoria, BC – In a Wednesday night matchup at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre the Victoria Royals took on the Everett Silvertips in the second game of a back-to-back series. Victoria gave Keith Hamilton the nod in net while Everett countered with Kent Simpson.

The first five minutes of the game was played without a stoppage as both teams looked to gain an early advantage. Near the half-way point of the frame, Everett’s Josh Birkholz broke down the right wing and put on a shot on net. Hamilton made the initial save but the rebound came to the stick of Ryan Harrison, who rung a shot off the crossbar to keep the game scoreless. Hamilton continued his strong play as he stopped all 12 shots he faced in the period. After 20 minutes the score remained 0-0.

Victoria would break the deadlock with a powerplay marker at 2:16 of the second period. Forward Jamie Crooks jumped on the rebound from a Hayden Rintoul point shot and snapped his team leading 30^th goal of the season past Simpson. Everett responded when Cody Fowlie collected the puck behind the net and fed Kohl Bauml, who went cross-crease to Harrison to slide home the tying goal at 8:05. The Silvertips would go up 2-1 after a Ryan Murray point shot bounced off of the end board to Ryan Chenowyth, who squeezed the puck past the outstretched left leg of Hamilton at 14:59. The period would end with Everett leading 2-1.

Victoria evened the score just before the five minute mark of the third period. It was Rintoul who would set up the goal again after he beat an Everett defender wide to the outside before centering a pass to Dakota Conroy. The Victoria forward roofed the puck over the blocker of Simpson for his seventh of the year. Everett reclaimed the lead at 11:37 of the period when Harrison cut to the middle of the Royals’ zone from the right boards and fired a quick shot past the glove of the Victoria netminder to round out the scoring. Everett 3 Victoria 2.

Victoria went 1/2 = 50.0% on the power play, while Everett was 0/3 = 0.0%. The Royals outshot the Silvertips 31-29.

The Victoria Royals’ next game is Wednesday, February 15^th when they welcome the Calgary Hitmen. Game time is scheduled for 7:05 p.m at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre. For further details or to purchase your tickets today, visit the Victoria Royals Ticket Office, www.victoriaroyals.com, or call 250-220-7889.

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