Their Western Hockey League team is 19-6-2 and ranked No. 6 among major-junior teams in the Canadian Hockey League.
The Victoria Royals (14-12-2) go into the CN Centre in Prince George tonight and Saturday as the defending WHL regular-season champions, but on a three-game losing streak, none harder to take than the late 4-3 loss at home Wednesday night to the Brandon Wheat Kings on a late giveaway goal.
There was plenty of time to contemplate that Thursday on the long trip up north. It will follow an equally lengthy dip down into the U.S. for a crazily-routed three-game set next week that will take the Royals to Spokane, out to Portland, and then back the next night across to eastern Washington state again to play Tri-City.
鈥淚鈥檇 like to have lunch with the guy who thought that one up,鈥� quipped Royals head coach Dave Lowry, earlier this week during practice, as he looked ahead to the trip.
The Royals will have to make the best of the wide-ranging tire-buster.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be interesting,鈥� said Victoria forward Matthew Phillips, whose natural hat-trick Wednesday against Brandon, gave him a team-leading 19 goals on the season.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to have a lot of time to sit in bunks on the bus and think.鈥�
Relying too much on Phillips for goals has become an issue. The situation is made more acute by having injured goal-sniper Tyler Soy out of the Royals鈥� lineup.
鈥淲e can鈥檛 rely on two or three guys [for goals]. We need everybody to contribute [on offence],鈥� said Lowry.
