VICTORIA聽 8
VANCOUVER聽 0
The pro scouts, who have so far overlooked them for the 2016 NHL draft, might not see it yet. But Matthew Phillips and Griffen Outhouse are emerging as two of the most dynamic whirlwinds to hit Blanshard Street in a long time.
The five-foot-six forward Phillips scored his Victoria Royals team- and WHL-rookie leading 25th and 26th goals of the season to key the Royals to an 8-0 victory over the Vancouver Giants on Saturday night before 5,017 fans at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
鈥淚 hope I鈥檓 playing well and people are noticing,鈥� said Phillips, who is from Calgary.
鈥淏ut I鈥檓 not focusing on that. We鈥檙e just having a lot of fun together as a team.鈥�
Phillips has eclipsed the former record of 23 goals by a Royals rookie, which was held by current ECHL pro, Logan Nelson. Phillips is now chasing the franchise record of 32 set by current KHL player Oscar Moller when the club was located in Chilliwack.
Another standout Victoria rookie, goaltender Outhouse, made 27 saves to record his third shutout in 17 games (9-3-3). The native of tiny Likely, sa国际传媒, has a goals-against average of 1.92. That overtook Carter Hart of the Everett Silvertips, the top-ranked North American goaltender for the 2016 NHL draft, for the WHL lead.
鈥淵ou always want good numbers. But that鈥檚 reflective of how the guy鈥檚 are playing in front of me,鈥� Outhouse said.
Asked about being overlooked in the NHL draft rankings, Outhouse shrugged and said: 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know much about that game [scouting]. I鈥檓 just concentrating on getting better all the time.鈥�
Royals coach Dave Lowry said the two probably just need to bide their time. 鈥淚f they continue to play well, they will get the recognition in due time,鈥� he said.
Veteran Tyler Soy also scored twice for Victoria on a three-point night, to push his season total to 24, and now has 11 goals and 19 points in the last 12 games. Ethan Price recorded his second two-goal game for Victoria in succession. Dante Hannoun and Vladimir Bobylev each had a goal and an assist. Jack Walker had three assists, and Joe Hicketts and Alex Forsberg two assists each.
The injury-depleted Giants were no match for the Royals. Vancouver is in the midst of a horrendous injury situation and has been without its captain and likely 2016 first-round NHL draft pick Tyler Benson since Dec. 30 with a lower-body injury. There are hopes Benson will be ready for the Giants-hosted Top Prospects game on Thursday, where he is due to captain Team Cherry at the Pacific Coliseum in the Rogers Sportsnet nationally-televised contest. Also out are 20-year-old veteran centre Carter Popoff and other key regulars Ty Ronning and Thomas Foster. The injuries couldn鈥檛 come at a less opportune time with the Giants (18-26-5) languishing last in the Western Conference, eight points adrift of the final wildcard playoff slot held by Spokane, and having played three more games than the Chiefs.
The Royal have the third-best winning percentage in the conference at 28-15-5.
Despite the discrepancy in the standings, the 10-game season series between the clubs is tied 3-3 heading into today鈥檚 matinee re-match on Blanshard.
