Perhaps the biggest news associated with the Victoria Royals’ 3-2 Western Hockey League overtime victory against the Tri-City Americans is that a crowd the size of Friday night’s 3,952 won’t be allowed in Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre from Sunday through Jan. 31.
Provincial health restrictions announced Friday will limit attendance during that period to half capacity, or 3,503 for the Memorial Centre.
“Throughout this pandemic, we have worked closely with the local government and health authorities to ensure we are adhering to the most up-to-date health guidelines. We will continue to do so with these new restrictions,” said George Fadel, senior director of marketing for GSL, the company which owns the Royals and operates the Memorial Centre.
Bailey Peach’s 10th goal of the season, and Victoria’s first of the night at 13:23 of the first period, triggered an avalanche of stuffed toy animals thrown onto the ice in the annual Teddy Bear Toss for charity. Peach made it 2-0 from an acute angle before the first period concluded. Tyson Greenway pulled Tri-City to within one in the second period before defenceman Marc Lajoie leveled at 5:16 in the third period. Brayden Schuurman’s 13th goal of the season, on a two-on-one assist from Peach, decided it in overtime.
“The puck was bobbling and I had to settle it down,” said Peach, of the overtime assist.
Campbell Arnold was a standout in goal for Victoria with 40 saves. Czech-import Tomas Suchanek made 22 saves for Tri-City.
The Royals, missing nine players, were down to 15 skaters and two goaltenders, which is three fewer players than allowed. Among the six injured players are captain Tarun Fizer and blue line mainstay Anson McMaster. Forwards Keanu Derungs and Marcus Almquist are away on national junior team duty with Switzerland and Denmark, respectively. Wyatt Wilson, assessed a major penalty and game misconduct Wednesday in Kamloops, sat out Friday night as part of a suspension the league is still determining.
With such a short bench, the last thing the Royals needed was a lack of discipline and to tire themselves out by killing bad penalties but they took four of them, although allowing no shorthanded goals.
“We got the two points and that’s all that matters,” said Peach.
Under the category it’s never too early to start thinking about these things, Victoria’s tenuous hold on the eighth and final playoff position in the Western Conference moved to four points ahead of ninth-place Tri-City with the Americans holding a game in hand.
The Royals (9-12-4) and Americans (7-13-4) meet again tonight at the Memorial Centre in the last game before the Christmas break.
The Royals held in check Colorado Avalanche draft pick Sasha Mutala of the Americans, recently returned from the Colorado Eagles of the AHL, and with 10 points in his six previous games heading into Friday.
ICE CHIPS: The Amerks are coached by Mr. Tri-City American himself, Stu Barnes, the former NHLer who is an alumnus of the club and a co-owner … Americans forward Parker Bell is from Campbell River.
