The only thing uglier than the Vancouver Giants promotional Christmas-sweater jerseys worn Friday night has been their WHL season.
But the Western Conference cellar dwellers (9-18-4) seemed inspired by not only the kitchy get-up, but a national television audience on Rogers Sportsnet, as they were dominant in a 4-1 victory over the league second-rated and nationally ninth-ranked Victoria Royals before 6,607 fans at the Pacific Coliseum.
Vancouver took the lead at 2:24 of the second period on a goal by Ty Ronning, son of former NHLer Cliff Ronning. The Royals leveled on the power play at 15:04 on a shot deflected by Jack Walker. The Giants then simply took over the game with three third-period goals, two on the power play by Carter Popoff and Alec Baer, the latter who also scored even-handed.
The Giants have gone through four coaches in two seasons and GM Scott Bonner resigned this season. This season鈥檚 carousel has seen 10 trades and 46 different players on the roster, including six goaltenders. The Royals, meanwhile, were thought to be rebuilding but are a WHL second-best 19-9-2 and No. 9 in the CHL top-10 poll.
The Royals, however, were without head coach Dave Lowry and captain Joe Hicketts, gone for 13 games as part of the Canadian team for the 2016 world junior championships in Helsinki, Finland.
Victoria starter Coleman Vollrath tied Lucas Gore for the most career games (141) played by a goaltender in the 10 years of Victoria Royals/Chilliwack Bruins franchise history. Vollrath was outstanding in making 31 saves Friday. Ryan Kubic made 25 for Vancouver.
The two teams meet again tonight on Teddy Bear Toss Night at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre. In the four previous seasons the Royals have played in Victoria, the home-team鈥檚 first goal on this night 鈥� which triggers the flurry of stuffed toy animals that go to charity 鈥� have been scored by Zane Jones (2011), Austin Carroll (2012 and 2013) and Axel Blomqvist (2014).
But the current king of the Teddy Toss in 20-year-old Royals forward Alex Forsberg, who twice ignited the furry avalanche in 2011 and 2012 when in Prince George as a member of the Cougars.
鈥淚 was just in the right spots,鈥� said Forsberg.
鈥淭he thing is, I hit the post in 2013 in Prince George or it would have been three in a row.鈥�
That puts the smart money on Forsberg tonight.
The Royals and Giants meet again Sunday in a matin茅e at the Memorial Centre.
