The noose continues to tighten on the Victoria Royals’ playoff hopes.
The Prince George Cougars recorded a critical 2-1 Western Hockey League victory over the Royals on Saturday night at the CN Centre.
The Royals were beaten by a third-period goal for the second night in a row as Ethan Samson scored the winner on the power play with just over six minutes remaining in regulation time. It followed Friday night’s 4-3 Victoria loss in Kamloops with just four seconds remaining.
Marcus Almquist of the Royals and Jonny Hooker of the Cougars, on the power play, exchanged first-period goals that held until Samson’s winner.
The Royals, Spokane Chiefs, Vancouver Giants and Cougars are vying for the final three berths into the Western Conference post-season. The Royals’ crushing late-game back-to-back road losses have placed Victoria on the verge of being the odd team out in that mix.
The Royals’ final two regular-season games are next Friday and Saturday at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre against the Chiefs, with Victoria having to sweep Spokane in that set in order to have any chance of making the playoffs.
