Royals stage comeback for Giant home win

Victoria, BC. — The Victoria Royals were back at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre tonight, hosting the Vancouver Giants in the opening matchup of a home-and-home series. After going down by two early in the game, the Royals scored five unanswered goals to stage a comeback and earn two crucial points late in the season.  

 

Vancouver got on the board first with a breakaway goal from Jakob Oreskovic just over three minutes into the opening frame. The Royals had two power-play opportunities through the first period, but were unable to convert and trailed 1-0 headed into the first intermission.  

 

The Giants doubled their lead with a goal from Lance McCloskey at 2:16 of the second frame, but in the final minute of the frame, Ludovic Perreault threaded through the Giants’ defence to bury the Royals’ first goal of the game. Perreault’s goal was assisted by Timofei Runtso and Odin Vauhkonen, and cut the Royals’ deficit to one after 40 minutes of play.  

 

Eli McKamey struck just shy of the two-minute mark of the third period, assisted by Nolan Stewart and Ludovic Perreault, to knot the game at two. A power-play marker from Heath Nelson at 4:34, assisted by Eli McKamey and Landon Young, gave the Royals their first lead of the night, and Miles Cooper followed shortly after, assisted by Nelson, to extend the lead to two. The Giants pulled their goalie and sent their extra attacker late in the third, but Nolan Stewart notched an empty-net tally, assisted by Seth Fryer, to secure the 5-2 Royals win.  

 

Scoring Summary  

1st Period 

3:08 Vancouver Giants Goal 

Jakob Oreskovic (12) assisted by Colton Gerrior  

 

2nd Period 

2:16 Vancouver Giants Goal 

Lance McCloskey (3) assisted by Mathis Preston and Tobias Tomik 

19:27 Victoria Royals Goal 

Ludovic Perreault (20) assisted by Timofei Runtso and Odin Vauhkonen 

 

3rd Period 

1:58 Victoria Royals Goal 

Eli McKamey (6) assisted by Nolan Stewart and Ludovic Perreault 

4:34 Victoria Royals Goal 

Heath Nelson (21) assisted by Eli McKamey and Landon Young 

5:25 Victoria Royals Goal 

Miles Cooper (10) assisted by Heath Nelson 

19:47 Victoria Royals Goal 

Nolan Stewart (13) assisted by Seth Fryer  

 

Shots on Goal 

Royals – 23 

Giants – 29 

 

Powerplay 

Royals – 1/6 

Giants – 0/3 

 

Goalie Stats 

 

Royals 

Jake Pilon – 27/29 

 

Giants  

Burke Hood – 18/22 

 

What’s Next 

The Royals and Giants will cross the water to close their season series in the back half of this weekend’s home-and-home. Puck drop is set for 7:00 at the Langley Events Centre.