Royals secure the shootout win in Kelowna

Kelowna, BC -The Victoria Royals capped off their interior road swing tonight, taking on the Kelowna Rockets at Prospera Place for their first of six meetings this regular season. After a last-minute Rockets goal forced overtime, and then a shootout, the Royals came out on top with the 6-5 win in their first shootout of the season.  

A heavily defensive first period saw the teams combine for only five total shots on goal, with the first shot not coming until around five minutes into the frame.  

Kelowna struck first with a goal from Tij Igina at 7:01 of the first period. After killing a two-minute penalty around the midway mark of the frame, Ludovic Perreault came out of the box and immediately buried the Royals’ first goal of the night, assisted by Nolan Stewart and Wyatt Danyleyko. The Royals killed another two-minute penalty towards the end of the frame, and the teams remained knotted at one after the first 20 minutes of play.  

Hayden Moore took quick advantage of a Rockets penalty to net the go-ahead goal, assisted by Timofei Runsto and Reggie Newman, at 4:03 of the second period. The Rockets responded with the equalizer goal from Tomas Poletin less than a minute later, but Cruz Waltze notched his first WHL goal at 8:21 of the frame, assisted by Cohen Massey, to bring the score to 3-2 Royals headed into the third period.   

After killing an early-frame penalty, the Royals took the two-goal lead with a goal from Nolan Stewart at 3:32 of the third period, assisted by Timofei Runtso and Henry Peterson. Hayden Paupanekis cut the Rockets’ deficit to one just over two minutes later, but a power play goal from Heath Nelson, assisted by Timofei Runtso and Reggie Newman, brought the score to 5-3 Royals. A goal from Kalder Varga at 16:39 brought the Rockets back within one, and a last-minute power play goal from Tij Iginla tied the game and forced the Royals into overtime for their third consecutive game. 

Neither team could find the back of the net in the overtime frame, sending the game into the shootout.   

After two goals from Tomas Poletin and Roan Woodward in the first two shots, the shootout ended after five rounds with Ludovic Perreault netting the game-winner.  

 

Scoring Summary  

1st Period 

7:01 Kelowna Rockets Goal 

Tij Iginla (1) unassisted 

11:38 Victoria Royals Goal 

Ludovic Perreault (2) assisted by Nolan Stewart and Wyatt Danyleyko 

 

2nd Period 

4:03 Victoria Royals Goal 

Hayden Moore (5) assisted by Timofei Runtso and Reggie Newman 

4:40 Kelowna Rockets Goal 

Tomas Poletin (6) assisted by Carson Wetsch and Tij Iginla 

8:21 Victoria Royals Goal 

Cruz Waltze (1) assisted by Cohen Massey 

 

3rd Period 

3:32 Victoria Royals Goal 

Nolan Stewart (1) assisted by Timofei Runtso and Henry Peterson 

5:49 Kelowna Rockets Goal 

Hayden Paupanekis (1) assisted by Kayden Longley 

13:10 Victoria Royals Goal 

Heath Nelson (3) assisted by Timofei Runtso and Reggie Newman 

16:39 Kelowna Rockets Goal 

Kalder Varga (2) assisted by Mazden Leslie 

19:35 Kelowna Rockets Goal 

Tij Iginla (2) assisted by Hayden Paupanekis and Will Sharpe 

 

Overtime 

No Scoring

 

Shootout 

Tomas Poletin (KEL) – GOAL 

Roan Woodward (VIC) – GOAL 

Tij Iginla (KEL) – MISS 

Heath Nelson (VIC) – MISS  

Mazden Leslie (KEL) – MISS 

Miles Cooper (VIC) – MISS  

Carson Wetsch (KEL) – MISS 

Timofei Runtso (VIC- MISS 

Will Sharpe (KEL) – MISS 

Ludovic Perreault (VIC) – GOAL 

 

Shots on Goal 

 

Royals – 26 

Rockets – 36 

 

Powerplay 

 

Royals – 2/4 

Rockets – 1/4 

 

Goalie Stats 

 

Royals 

Ethan Eskit – 31/36 

 

Rockets 

Harrison Boettiger – 21/26 

 

What’s Next 

The Royals will return to the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre this Saturday, October 18th for Country! Puck drop is set for 6:05 PM. Get your tickets here.