The reeling Victoria Royals have one game remaining to salvage a victory on their tire-busting six-game trip through the East Division of the Eastern Conference of the WHL.
The Royals are 0-3-2, with only two points to show after the first five games, of their once-every-two-seasons 5,500-kilometre swing through the East Division.
If it鈥檚 Friday, it must be Regina, where the Pats beat the Royals 5-4 in a shootout. It was part of an overall Victoria seven-game winless slide 鈥� with five losses 鈥� after going 8-1-1 in the previous 10 games. The Pats (15-26-5), otherwise in the midst of a trying season, won for the second consecutive game.
For the third time on the trip, the Royals squandered a 2-0 lead. This is a team that built much of its earlier success on clamping down after gaining leads.
鈥淕oals happen over 60 minutes and it鈥檚 not really the order that matters,鈥� said Royals head coach Dan Price.
鈥淭his was a close, competitive game and both teams never quit. When Regina took the lead in the third period, we pushed back ourselves. We had some great looks in OT. Then when it goes to shootout, anything can happen.鈥�
Brandon Cutler scored twice to lead Victoria with rookie Alex Bolshakov scoring his first career WHL goal and 20-year-old over-ager Gary Haden counting his 19th on the season and fifth goal and seventh point in his past six games. Cole Dubinsky鈥檚 goal in the shootout won it for Regina.
Regular Victoria crease starter Shane Farkas did not dress for a third consecutive game. Price said Farkas remains game-to-game. Adam Evanoff made 32 saves for the Royals and Donovan Buskey 25 for the Pats.
The Royals (25-18-5) will attempt to end their malaise when they close out the swing tonight in Moose Jaw against the Warriors (12-31-2), who were blanked 3-0 at home Friday by the Saskatoon Blades.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a long trip, but we鈥檝e rested well, and have plenty of energy left,鈥� said Price.
