That鈥檚 what you call earning a point the hard way with a lot of perspiration.
The Victoria Royals were missing nearly a third of their roster Wednesday at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre. But what wasn鈥檛 absent was the effort in a 3-2 loss in the sixth round of shootout to a very good Calgary Hitmen team featuring Vancouver Canucks prospects Jett Woo and Carson Focht.
The Hitmen (32-18-5) won their fourth consecutive game. The Royals went to 29-20-7 as their three-game home winning streak went to a four-game run with at least a point on Blanshard.
The story of the night was 17-year-old affiliated call-up goaltender Connor Martin, who made his WHL debut with a 39-save performance in starting for the Royals. Martin has a 5-21 record with a 4.81 goals-against average and .879 save percentage in 29 games this season with the Calgary Canucks of the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
January WHL goaltender of the month Shane Farkas was among six injured Royals missing Wednesday. Adam Evanoff, who has carried the crease load in Farkas鈥� absence with 11 consecutive starts, was finally given a rest. Martin made the most of his chance.
Also out for Victoria were defenceman Jacob Herauf and forward Sean Gulka, Tarun Fizer, Ty Yoder and Anaheim Ducks first-round draft pick Brayden Tracey.
Among the three affiliated call-ups for Victoria were Martin, defenceman Ty Ettinger from the Sherwood Park Crusaders of the AJHL and forward and Parksville-product Cage Newans from the Oceanside Generals of the VIJHL.
An unguarded Mark Kastelic opened scoring with the Ottawa Senator prospect鈥檚 31st goal of the season for Calgary at 4:07 of the opening period.
Kaid Oliver tied it at 15:09 with a rare shorthanded penalty-shot goal. It was the second consecutive successful Victoria penalty shot this month following Carson Miller鈥檚 goal against Kamloops on Feb 8.
The Royals special teams were at it again in the second period as captain Phillip Schultz intercepted a flubbed clearing pass from Calgary goaltender Jack McNaughton and fed Gary Haden from the corner for Haden鈥檚 Victoria team second-leading 23rd goal of the season.
Kastelic鈥檚 32nd goal, this one on the power play, tied it 2-2 in the third period.
The Kelowna Rockets land on Blanshard for games against the Royals on Friday and Saturday.
