There are a bunch of guys in gold jerseys speaking Swedish in the Victoria Royals dressing room while the regular inhabitants have hit the road. At least the Swedish national team trim colour is royal blue, as befitting the club team it has displaced in the room.
The Royals begin the post-Christmas portion of the Western Hockey League schedule with six away games 鈥� beginning tonight in Lethbridge against the Hurricanes 鈥� to make way for Pool B of the 2019 IIHF world championship taking place at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
The Royals, however, have a rooting interest in the world junior tournament. Victoria forward Phillip Schultz had an adventure as Denmark鈥檚 player of the game Wednesday, while missing a penalty shot, as the Danes opened Pool A at Rogers Arena in Vancouver with a 14-0 blowout loss to host sa国际传媒.
While Schultz will be missing, Royals forward Igor Martynov has returned from the IIHF world Tier-1 junior tournament in Fussen, Germany, where his Belarus national side just missed promotion to next year鈥檚 world juniors by placing second to host Germany.
鈥淚gor said the game against Germany was very emotional and intense,鈥� said Victoria head coach Dan Price.
Martynov, who skated for relegated Belarus in last year鈥檚 world junior championship in Buffalo, had time to go home for a European Christmas after the Tier 1 tournament and comes back to WHL play rejuvenated.
鈥淚gor is well rested and was one of the fastest guys in our first practice back from the break [Thursday in Lethbridge],鈥� said Price.
Schultz also played in the 2018 world juniors in Buffalo as the Danes avoided relegation by beating Martynov and Belarus. Schultz should be a better player when he returns from this year鈥檚 world junior experience in sa国际传媒 and Price is excited about that prospect.
鈥淧hillip was around the puck a lot in the game against sa国际传媒, creating chances, and was one of the most noticeable Danish players,鈥� said Price.
Meanwhile, Thursday鈥檚 first return practice from the break shook off some of the cobwebs as the Royals reconvened in southern Alberta.
鈥淭here is always a lot of rust in that first practice following the break, so we skated at pace for long periods to bring the legs back, and we made sure the players got lots of touches on the puck,鈥� said Price.
The Hurricanes, meanwhile, are 18-9-6 for a reason this season. Bringing it to sa国际传媒 Division comparison terms, Price said Lethbridge 鈥渇orechecks like Kamloops and breaks out like the Vancouver Giants.鈥�
Victoria (16-13-1) bookended the pre-Christmas portion of the season with a 7-0 start and 3-1 ending and a not-so-good middle section.
鈥淲e will be looking to establish more consistency in the second part of the season,鈥� said Price.
鈥淭he way we played going into the break gives us confidence.鈥�
Royals veteran defenceman Ralph Jarratt continues to be day-to-day. Price said the 20-year-old rearguard will play at some point during the road trip, but could not pinpoint which game he expects Jarratt to return.
Victoria is also without assistant coach J.F. Best, who is assistant coach with Denmark at the world juniors. Asked if he contacted him following the Danes鈥� blowout loss to sa国际传媒, Price said no, and thought it best to leave Best be at that moment as the puck-shocked Danish coaching staff looks to rebound from the drubbing.
The Victoria swing through the Central Division of the Eastern Conference continues Saturday night in Medicine Hat against the Tigers, Monday in Cranbrook against the Kootenay ice, Tuesday in Calgary against the Hitmen, next Friday in Edmonton against the Oil Kings and Jan. 5 in Red Deer against the Rebels. The next Victoria home game is Jan. 9 back on Blanshard against the Kamloops Blazers.
ICE CHIPS: Anaheim Ducks draft pick and all-time Royals career goals, assists and points leader Tyler Soy, who has five goals and 14 points in 19 games with Tulsa of the ECHL this season, has joined the University of Alberta Golden Bears of U Sports effective immediately.
