Owen Hardy returned to the Island and had a couple of big goals.
The product on Nanaimo, BC scored twice on Tuesday night, including the overtime game winner to secure a victory for the Vancouver Giants over the Victoria Royals.
“About time,” said Hardy post-game about his first goals of the playoffs. “I have taken about 500 shots from those same positions in practice after practice. So it’s nice that those goals went in.”
“When the team wins, everybody is happy,” added Hardy. “One thing about our group is that it doesn’t matter who gets the goal. Tonight, I was lucky enough to be that guy.”
In Game 3, the Royals were finally able to fill up the score sheet, and goaltender Griffen Outhouse played exceptional, making 52 saves. The shots in the game were ended up still very lop-sided, 57 to 20 for the Giants.
“Although it wasn’t the start we wanted, we bounced back,” said Scott Walford. “We were happy with the scoring chances we created and Griff [Outhouse] played phenomenal. They might be holding us down in the shot category, but we are still getting scoring chances. We’re not too focused on the shot clock. We are focused on the scoring chances and we had those tonight.”
(photo Gord Rufh ISN Sports)
“I thought our quality chances were really high,” said Royals Head Coach Dan Price. “I think we generated more than the shot clock might indicate.”
With back-to-back games settled in overtime and now down three games to zero, Victoria has not felt out of the series. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for Vancouver and how well they are playing,” said Price. “But we were in a position to win each of these three games. It could be 3-0 for us. So all we need to do is win one game on Thursday. Once we do that, we’ll focus on the next one.”
Victoria entered action Tuesday looking to crack Vancouver’s defensive code and get into the series. After registering a paltry 25 shots over the first two games of the series, the Royals looked to create higher quality chances on the Vancouver net.
The Royals defensive depth would be tested as leader Ralph Jarratt was scratched after leaving the last game. Joining him was Jake Kustra, who was serving the first of a two game suspension for a cross-check to Jared Dmytriw in Game 2.
The Giants opened the scoring as although Griffen Outhouse made the initial save, he was unable to smother the rebound. The puck dropped to Vancouver captain Jared Dmytriw who poked it home for the 1-0 lead at 3:32. Victoria pulled even as Sean Gulka tipped a Scott Walford point shot at 9:10. The play was set up as Tarun Fizer carried unto the zone against Bowen Byram and then found his point-man to setup the goal.
Victoria then took their first lead of the series as they struck on the power play with less than a minute remaining in the period. Walford again had the assist, as he found Igor Martynov who turned and fired a wrister over the blocker of Trent Miner. Despite being again heavily out-shot 14 to 6 in the period, Victoria headed to the dressing room with the lead.
In the second period, Byram created a scoring chance the resulted in Milos Roman tying the game while they had the man advantage. Bowen carried into the Victoria zone seemingly carried the puck forever, eventually finding Roman who scored his second of these playoffs.
Victoria regained their lead, as unlikely sniper Mitchell Prowse fired a laser at 13:06 of the second, the shot whistled over the glove of Miner. The second period ended with the Royals holding onto a 3-2 lead.
The third period saw a flurry of action as the teams punched and counter-punched. The scoring started just 14 seconds in as it was Byram leading the charge, this time feeding Hardy. The goal was his first of the playoffs and came before most of the local crowd had a chance to return to their seats.
Victoria took the lead yet again as Carson Miller scored his fifth goal of the post-season for Victoria. Miller took the puck behind the goal line and showed quick hands to lift it up and over Miner and make it 4-3 for Victoria. The Giants bounced back again as Alex Konnok-Leipert was able to catch Outhouse out of position and score to make it a 4-4 game with less than five minutes remaining.
Despite some frantic action close out the period, for a second game in a row these two clubs would head to overtime.
In extra frame, Vancouver was able to get the overtime win as Hardy scored at 13:34 to seal the victory. Hardy went for a wrap-around and while unsuccessful on the first attempt, he was able to lift the rebound over Outhouse to seal the 3-0 series lead for his club.
Game 4 goes Thursday in Victoria and the Giants will look to complete the sweep. For the Royals, it is do or die, with little to lose as they play for their postseason lives.
