Even Victoria Royals coach Dave Lowry, not known for his demonstrative nature, admits to being 鈥渟hocked鈥� upon reaching the quarter-pole of the 2015-16 Western Hockey League season.
His youthful Royals team, thought to be in a rebuilding phase, went to 4-0 on the longest road trip of the season by downing the Warriors 5-2 on Wednesday in Moose Jaw, Sask. Victoria (12-5-1) has earned 11 of a possible 12 points in its last six games.
鈥淚鈥檝e been pleasantly surprised,鈥� Lowry said. 鈥淏ut we鈥檙e still a young team and we鈥檙e not going to get caught up with where we are in the standings.鈥�
Perhaps emblematic of the Royals鈥� season has been the play of sophomore forward Dante Hannoun, who scored twice Wednesday to overtake Vladimir Bobylev for the team lead in goals with 10. Hannoun, the Royals first-round selection in the 2013 bantam draft, had a hesitant rookie season that followed through to him beginning this season on the fourth line. But then something happened.
鈥淚t鈥檚 conditioning and confidence 鈥� and being responsible,鈥� said Lowry, of Hannoun鈥檚 turnaround.
Victoria 20-year-old forward Alex Forsberg continued compiling points with a power-play goal and two assists to bump his team points lead to 21. Tyler Soy, on the penalty kill, and rookie Matthew Phillips, on the power play, scored the other Victoria goals.
Moose Jaw is No. 2 in the league in both the power play and penalty kill. Yet the Royals power play went 2-5, while its league-best penalty kill got the short-handed goal from Soy and held the potent Warriors power play to 1-3.
Moose Jaw (8-5-3) is led by WHL scoring leader (32 points) and Tampa Bay Lightning-signed Brayden Point, who assisted on both Warriors goals. 鈥淸Point] is going to get his opportunities and points. But we eliminated a lot of his quality chances,鈥� said Lowry.
Victoria goaltender Coleman Vollrath faced only 19 shots while the Royals unloaded 31 on Moose Jaw鈥檚 Zach Sawchenko.
The Royals鈥� six-game road trip concludes with games Friday in Brandon (11-3-2) and Saturday in Regina (7-6-1).
