The Victoria Royals, first-round losers in last season playoffs, are perfect through three regular-season games this WHL season.
The Royals improved to 3-0-0 with a 4-3 shootout victory over the visiting Kamloops Blazers at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre on Friday night.
The Blazers, who tied the game 3-3 on a goal by defenceman Marek Hrbas at 15:35 of the third period, are 2-0-1.
The teams will meet in Victoria again on Sunday afternoon.
The Royals and Prince George Cougars, who didn't even make the playoffs last season, lead the B.C. Division, each at 3-0-0. The Cougars played their home-opener last night, beating the Seattle Thunderbirds, 4-3.
At the other end of the standings, the Vancouver Giants lost their third straight game, 5-3, to the visiting Everett Silvertips.
The Kelowna Rockets, the other B.C. Division team, fell 1-0 in Portland with Winterhawks goaltender Cam Lanigan, who was acquired on waivers from the Blazers over the summer, earning his first career shutout.
In Victoria, Royals forward Logan Nelson, who had a goal and an assist in regulation time, scored the only goal of the shootout.
The Blazers took a 2-0 first-period lead on two goals from sophomore forward Cole Ully. Ully, who scored nine goals in 55 games last season, enjoyed his first two-goal game on Oct. 21, 2011, in a 7-4 victory over the host Lethbridge Hurricanes. Those were his first two WHL goals.
Victoria forward Brett Cote cut into that lead in the second period, with Nelson tying the score at 5:52 of the third. Alex Gogolev gave the Royals a 3-2 lead just 56 seconds later.
Victoria goaltender Patrik Polivka stopped 21 shots, while Taran Kozun of the Blazers was credited with 34 saves.
Kozun, making his second straight start with Cole Cheveldave injured, was the Blazers' best player.
The Blazers will return home after Sunday's game to face the Seattle Thunderbirds at Interior Savings Centre on Friday night.
JUST NOTES: Attendance was 4,447. . . . Last season, the Blazers were 7-1-0 against Victoria and then swept the Royals from the first round of the playoffs. . . . Kamloops G Cole Cheveldave, who suffered a suspected knee injury on Sept. 21, was on the bench after a one-game absence. . . . The Blazers scratched D Tyler Hansen (concussion), F Brayden Gelsinger and D Josh Connolly. . . . Kamloops LW Brendan Ranford left Thursday for the training camp of the AHL's Hamilton Bulldogs. . . . Victoria D Tyler Stahl, 20, is eligible to return Sunday after serving a six-game suspension for a headshot during the exhibition season. . . . The teams can't play in Victoria tonight because of a concert by musician John Fogerty.
