PHOTO CREDITS: GORD RUFH
Nico Myatovic had a hat trick and Scott Ratzlaff made 21 saves for the shut out, as the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds blanked the Victoria Royals 8-0 Tuesday night.
“They converted pretty much every good chance they got, and we didn’t convert ours.” said HC/GM Dan Price on what he felt was the overall difference.
Seattle, ranked 3rd in the CHL Top 10, held period leads of 3-0, and 5-0 before adding 3 more in the third.
“The scoreline sucks, and I know the guys feel bad about that…you really have to park that.”
Winnipeg Jets first rounder Brad Lambert was the number star with a pair of goals. Nolan Allan had a 4 point night with a goal and 3 assists.
Schaeffer had a goal and 2 assists
Braden Holt took the loss with 33 saves on 41 shots.
Victoria went 0 for 1 on the power play while shutting down 3 of 4 Seattle man advantages.
“You don’t want to be fake and say it’s all sunshine and lollipops right now, because it’s really hard…I really empathize for the guys right now, it’s a grind, there’s so many guys out with injuries, and (Seattle) is a really good team.”
The Royals remain 7 points out of the final playoff spot in the West held by the Rockets who hold 4 games in hand.
Nate Misskey delivered a big hit on Dylan Guenther
Victoria has now been shut out in back to back games against Seattle after dropping a 7-0 loss Monday afternoon. The Royals only scored once over their last 3, all against the Thunderbirds.
“It would be easy for the guys to feel really low right now…you’re allowed to feel bad tonight, but tomorrow you wake up and realize it’s just one day and you got to come back and improve and get ready for a real import game on Saturday against Prince George.”
Victoria was without their leading scorer in Jake Poole, Captain and top defenseman Gannon Laroque, forward Reggie Newman and lost Marcus Almquist in the game.
Royals forward Matthew Hodson took a check to the head from Kyle Crnkovic who was assessed 5 minutes and a game misconduct. Hodson left for a spell, but did finish the game.
Victoria, who’s been shut out back to back games, will look to snap a 4 game skid when they host Prince George Saturday night.
Marlon Martens
Seattle Thunderbirds 8 at Victoria Royals 0 – Status: Final
Tuesday, February 21, 2023 – Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena – Victoria, BC
Seattle 3 2 3 – 8
Victoria 0 0 0 – 0
1st Period-
1, Seattle, Lambert 10 (Allan), 8:02.
2, Seattle, Allan 9 (Ciona, Sawchyn), 15:39.
3, Seattle, Sanders 4 15:45.
Penalties-Crnkovic Sea (major – checking to the head, game misconduct), 9:21; Patton Vic (hooking), 10:23; Sapousek Vic (boarding, boarding), 17:31.
2nd Period-
4, Seattle, Myatovic 21 (Allan, Mynio), 1:06 (PP).
5, Seattle, Lambert 11 (Schaefer, Korchinski), 5:57.
Penalties-Rybinski Vic (roughing), 17:11.
3rd Period-
6, Seattle, Schaefer 20 (Popowich, Mynio), 14:59.
7, Seattle, Myatovic 22 (Allan), 15:56.
8, Seattle, Myatovic 23 (Schaefer, Ciona), 18:10.
Penalties-Sapousek Vic (interference), 7:14; Ciona Sea (unsportsmanlike cnd., major-fighting), 8:17; Zemlak Vic (cross checking, major-fighting), 8:17; Korchinski Sea (roughing), 14:25; Schuurman Vic (roughing), 14:25.
Shots on Goal-
Seattle 19-11-11-41.
Victoria 5-6-10-21.
Power Play Opportunities-
Seattle 1 / 4;
Victoria 0 / 1.
Goalies-
Seattle, Ratzlaff 20-6-0-1 (21 shots-21 saves).
Victoria, Holt 21-21-3-1 (41 shots-33 saves).
A-2,613
Referees-Graedy Hamilton (57), Brett Iverson (24).
Linesmen-Liam Reid (112), Ryan Sirk (173).
