Game 1: Royals down Rockets in second round playoff action

VICTORIA, B.C. – The Kelowna Rockets lost game one of the second round of the WHL Western Conference playoffs Thursday night to the Victoria Royals.

The Royals 2-1 victory came squarely on the shoulders of over-age netminder Coleman Vollrath, who stopped 40 shots on goal, as the Rockets outshot the Royals 41-31.

Victoria markers came from Jack Walker and Dante Hannoun.

   Tyson Baillie put Kelowna on the board with his first goal of the post season.

Both teams were 0-for-4 on the power play.

Tanner Wishnowski hit the boards hard during the second period when Logan Fisher plowed into him. It netted the Royal a five minute major boarding and 10 minute game misconduct. Wishnowski was not injured, according to Gavin Hamilton, the Rockets VP Business Development.

The Royals Joe Hicketts sat out his sixth consecutive game due to a lower body injury from game one of Victoria’s opening round.

Game two is Saturday night in Victoria as the series continues.

Games three and four will be played April 12 and 14 in Kelowna.