One might think the Country Night promotion Friday night at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre might be more apropos of a team from the Interior than one from the Island.
But no such luck for the Kamloops Blazers (15-21-3), who dropped their 12 consecutive road game in a 4-1 WHL loss to the Victoria Royals before 5,547 fans.
Not only that, it was Victoria鈥檚 eighth straight home victory over the Blazers as part of a 16-game stretch in which the Royals have gone 14-2 against Kamloops on Blanshard Street.
It was the Royals (22-15-1) fourth consecutive victory and ninth in their last 12 games.
There is a reason the Royals have made 20-year-old Kody McDonald an assistant captain in just his fourth game with the team since coming across as part of the trade that sent all-time top-five Royals points-getter Dante Hannoun to the Prince Albert Raiders.
McDonald scored his third goal for the Royals, not including a shootout game winner, when he opened scoring in the first period on a two-man Victoria power play. The Royals鈥� formerly woeful odd-man has moved up from its previous last-in-the-league ranking by counting three times over the last two games, although it reverted to form during a scoreless effort on a five-minute Kamloops major in the second period.
That major, and a game misconduct, was assessed against Kamloops defenceman Joonas Sillanpaa during a breakaway goal scored by Dino Kambeitz at 13:13 of the second period.
Defenceman Scott Walford, also stellar on defence, popped home a Kambeitz deflection to make it 3-0 early in the third period. A power-play deflection by Kamloops captain and Dallas Stars draft-pick Jermaine Loewen denied Griffen Outhouse鈥檚 shutout bid at 10:00 of the third period. Outhouse, however, made 26 saves. Tanner Sidaway put the game away at 15:55 on an assist from Brandon Cutler.
Blazers goaltender and Las Vegas Golden Knights prospect Dylan Ferguson from Lantzville made 24 saves.
The Royals鈥� winning streak will certainly be challenged when they meet the Western Conference-leading Everett Silvertips (32-8-2) tonight at the Memorial Centre.
