Don Hay’s Vancouver Giant charges lost their home opener Friday. (Province Files.)
The Victoria Royals scored three times in just under 10 minutes in the middle frame and spoiled the Vancouver Giants’ home opener by taking a 4-2 decision Friday at the Pacific Coliseum.
The teams meet again Saturday in Victoria.
Winger Austin Carroll had three goals for the winners on Friday, while overage centre Logan Nelson added four assists and winger Brandon Magee, the third member of Victoria’s top unit right now, supplied one goal and one assist.
Patrik Polivka, the Royals’ Czech netminder, made 34 saves before the crowd of 7,182. His best stop came with 18.2 seconds to go, when he got the shaft of his stick on a chance by rearguard Brett Kulak with Vancouver sporting six attackers and the score 4-2.
Winger Anthony Ast and defenceman Tyler Morrison counted Vancouver’s goals. Payton Lee made 19 saves.
Mason Geertsen was minus-three, while his defence partner Arvin Atwal was minus-two. Wingers Dalton Sward, Joel Hamilton and Jackson Houck and defenceman Reid Zalitach were all minus-two as well.
Morrison used a screen by winger Rob Trzonkowski and beat Polivka from the point at 12:41 of the third period to cut Victoria’s lead to 4-2.
Carroll bagged his hat trick goal at 9:44 of the third period, taking advantage of a turnover deep in Vancouver territory before sneaking one past Lee.
Carroll converted a Magee pass on a 2-on-1 at 13:14 of the second period to up Victoria’s margin to 3-1.
Victoria took a 2-1 lead at 9:44 of the second, taking advantage of Vancouver being unable to clear the puck out en route to Nelson finding Carroll wide open in the slot.
Magee one-timed a Nelson feed on a 2-on-1 at 3:28 of the second period to make it 1-1.
Ast put Vancouver on the board on a power play at 4:38 of the first period when he was left all alone off just off the left post and the puck squirted over to him during a scramble.
Vancouver scratches included 16-year-old centre Alec Baer and Russian defenceman Dimtry Osipov, the first pick in the CHL Import Draft.
Among the Victoria players missing was centre Steven Hodges (lower body), the Florida Panthers prospect.
The Giants honoured First Nations hockey by wearing a cream jersey with black stripes that celebrated the Alkali Lake Braves.
