It was different opponent, same result for the Victoria Royals, whose Western Hockey League winless streak extended to 15 games on Friday night.
The Seattle Thunderbirds (26-11-5) defeated the Royals 6-1 to begin a two-game set at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
Discipline was again an issue for the Royals, who had to defend nine penalties, with the Thunderbirds scoring twice on the power play. Victoria went 1-4 on the odd-man.
“Nine is way too many penalties and that lack of discipline is my responsibility,” said Royals head coach and GM Dan Price.
“That swung the game. Seattle controlled the game after we started marching to the box. I have to hold the guys accountable. They are losing their cool.”
The Royals (12-27-5) scored first through the power play at 9:55 of the first period connected Brayden Schuurman, the 58th ranked North American skater for the 2022 NHL draft, connected for his 24th goal. But that’s as good as it got for the hosts.
Fifth-round 2019 Florida Panthers draft pick Henrik Rybinski, the 20-year-old who last fall was invited to Edmonton Oilers prospects camp, leveled for Seattle at 13:06. Back-to-back goals by Lukas Svejkovsky, the first on the power play, put Seattle into the first break leading 3-1. The 20-year-old, a fourth-round NHL draft pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins, has seven goals and 16 points in 10 games for Seattle to show why the championship-minded Thunderbirds acquired him at the trade deadline from the Medicine Hat Tigers in exchange for a first-round selection in the 2022 WHL prospects draft, a conditional second-round pick in 2023 and a conditional third-round pick in 2025. Jared Davidson with his 22nd and Reid Schaefer with his 20th and 21st closed it out for Seattle.
Tyler Palmer made 31 saves in goal for Victoria, while Seattle’s Thomas Milic needed to stop only 14 shots for the win.
The Royals received a helping hand in other games Friday as the Kamloops Blazers defeated the Tri-City Americans 6-1 and the Portland Winterhawks bested the Spokane Chiefs 8-1. The Americans remained one point ahead of Victoria in the eighth and final playoff slot in the Western Conference. The 10th place Spokane Chiefs are one point behind the Royals. The Americans and Chiefs each have a game in hand on Victoria.
The Royals and Thunderbirds meet again tonight at the Memorial Centre.
