The Victoria Royals twice squandered two-goal leads, including in the third-period, and were relegated to escaping Kelowna with a point in a 5-4 Western Hockey League overtime loss to the Rockets.
It was the fourth time this season that the Rockets have won against Victoria in overtime or shootout with the Royals 1-5-4 against Kelowna.
“There’s no acceptance of a moral victory here,” said Victoria coach Dan Price.
“The players know they have to close out better than that. It’s not me saying that, it’s them.”
The Royals enter each game now with one eye on the ice and the other on the scoreboard. The Spokane Chiefs won in Prince George to move one point ahead of Victoria into eighth place and the final playoff slot in the Western Conference. The Tri-City Americans, 3-1 losers to Seattle, fell to 10th place and are two points behind Spokane and one behind Victoria but with a game in hand on both clubs.
“The guys know the old adage: ‘Control what you can control,’ and they are living in the moment,” said Price, of the tight race.
Minnesota Wild draft-pick Pavel Novak, who has twice represented the Czech Republic in the world junior championship, opened the scoring for Kelowna. Goals by San Jose Sharks fourth-round draft selection Gannon Laroque, on a two-man power play, and the lethally swift Tanner Scott gave Victoria a 2-1 lead in the first period. Victoria’s power play struck again with Bailey Peach’s 29th goal of the season at 9:32 of the second period before the Rockets moved back to within one thanks to Mark Liwiski at 13:38. Wyatt Wilson restored the two-goal cushion in the third period before Max Graham and Tyson Feist tied the game for Kelowna. Gabriel Szturc won it at 1:29 of overtime.
Victoria captain Tarun Fizer had two assists and has five goals and 12 assists for 17 points in 10 games since returning from long-term injury. Peach had a three-point night and Laroque two points.
It was another towering performance by Victoria goaltending with Campbell Arnold facing 50 shots. The Royals (15-31-6) put 28 shots on Talyn Boyko.
Kelowna is 19-5-1 at home and 32-14-4 overall. The Royals, however, have amassed more than half of their 15 wins on the road at 8-16-4 heading into Kamloops tonight to play the CHL nationally No.8-ranked Blazers (37-14-2) before facing the Portland Winterhawks on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Memorial Centre.
