Sitting atop the B.C. Division of the Western Hockey League is not a bad place to be, even just four games into the season.
The Victoria Royals reeled off a pair of wins at home against Kamloops last weekend to push their record to 4-0. The teamB次元官网网址檚 6-3 win over the Blazers on Sunday tied a Victoria record for the fastest start, but head coach Dan Price was already thinking about the RoyalsB次元官网网址� next game Wednesday night (Oct. 4) against the always-tough Kelowna Rockets.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 very happy with the contribution from all of our players, not just the guys who typically play higher minutes, but some of the younger guys as well who made significant contributions both today and over the course of the weekend,B次元官网网址� Price said.
Spencer Gerth scores to make it 5-3 vs @whlblazers early in 3rd period in Vicoria
B次元官网网址� Victoria B次元官网网址 (@VictoriaB次元官网网址)
He gave credit to unsung players like third-year WHL winger Spencer Gerth, whose first goal as a Royal proved the game winner; rookie defenceman Matthew Smith, who scored his first WHL goal; and rookie goalie Dean McNabb, who recorded his first win in the league.
But it was hard to ignore the contribution Sunday of fourth-year Royals centre Dante Hannoun, who scored three times and set up SmithB次元官网网址檚 second-period goal. The four points gave him 11 for the season, tied for tops in the league with Swift CurrentB次元官网网址檚 Tyler Steenbergen.
Hannoun also tallied a goal and a helper in SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 thrilling 4-3 win. Linemate Ryan Peckford scored the winner in that one on the power play with 41 seconds to play.
The leadership of Hannoun was a key to SundayB次元官网网址檚 win, Price said.
B次元官网网址淥ne of the best parts B次元官网网址� was he really decided that we as a team were going to try to take the game over and he was going to be a big part of that,B次元官网网址� Price said of the 5-6, 160-pounder. B次元官网网址淵ou could hear him on the bench, on the ice, [he was] extremely positive and supportive of his teammates. He just went out and said we were going to win tonight.B次元官网网址�
Asked about leading the charge, Hannoun deflected the credit.
B次元官网网址淥bviously my linemates and teammates are out there with me, they made some great plays there like Pecks on the last one right behind the net,B次元官网网址� he said.
He also gave kudos to winger Jared Legien, who picked up three assists and now has nine points. B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 a big part of our line, he works hard and he knows where to be when each of us have the puck. HeB次元官网网址檚 doing well and I think we have great chemistry there,B次元官网网址� Hannoun said.
Matching SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 back and forth scoring pattern, the Royals and Blazers traded goals through the first two periods, with Victoria grabbing a 3-2 lead after 40 minutes.
The Blazers goals, from Ondrej Vala in the first and Brodi Stuart in the second, came on the power play, but the Royals replied quickly both times. SmithB次元官网网址檚 goal came just 33 seconds after ValaB次元官网网址檚 marker to make it 2-1, while Hannoun found the net for his first goal 18 seconds after Stuart made it 2-2.
After Gerth scored 20 seconds into the third to make it 4-2, Garret Pilon gave the Blazers a spark with a goal 8:41 in.
Then it was HannounB次元官网网址檚 turn to take the torch. Cruising through the slot he deflected a perfect pass from Legien past goalie Max Palaga at the 12:50 mark, then completed the hat trick on a similar play just over two minutes later.
Eric Florchuk bagged his first for Victoria to open the scoring. McNabb finished with 28 saves on 31 shots while Palaga stopped 26 Victoria shots.
The Royals are in Kamloops for an Oct. 6 game then return home to play Tri-Cities on Oct. 10.
