Five, as in consecutive victories, was fine Friday for the Victoria Royals at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre. The 4-2 Western Hockey League win over the Prince George Cougars had a taut playoff-like feel with all the hallmarks from the checking being gritty to the goaltending a factor. That’s because it was another milestone along the way as both clubs careen down the stretch drive to the post season with all to play for.
“Everyone has been dialed in the last five games,” said 17-year-old Victoria forward Tanner Scott, selected first star for his two key assists.
The Royals survived being down two men, with a penalty and the Cougars goalie pulled, in a frenetic finish as a Prince George goal was waved off for going in after the whistle had blown. Victoria polished it off with an empty-net goal by defenceman Wyatt Wilson.
After going 0-7 to start the season series against the Cougars, the Royals won their third consecutive game against Prince George and fourth in their last five meetings.
The first goal didn’t come until 14:35 of the second period when Victoria’s leading points-getter Bailey Peach found pinching blueliner Gannon Laroque at the side of the net and the San Jose Sharks prospect slid it home under Tyler Brennan during a stretch of four-on-four play.
Danish-import Marcus Almquist, on an opportunistic assist from Scott, made it 2-0 at 26 seconds of the third period.
“My linemates [Almquist and Brayden Schuurman] are really fun to play with,” said Scott.
Riley Heidt showed why he is projected to go high in the 2023 NHL draft to pull Prince George within one with a bullet just 23 seconds later on his 17th birthday. It was the first goal for Prince George against Victoria in eight periods over three games.
Then came the play of the game as Scott stole the puck off Brennan behind the Prince George net and fed Riley Gannon who put it into the gaping net for his 21st of the season to restore Victoria’s two-goal advantage at 2:19. The Royals would need it as Heidt pulled Prince George back to within one at 18:47.
Victoria goaltender Tyler Palmer was again a standout with 31 saves. Brennan, the top-ranked North American goaltender for the 2022 NHL draft, made 21 saves for the Cougars.
“Everyone was ready to go and came out flying,” said Scott.
“We have to have the same start [tonight in the back-end of the two-game set on Blanshard] and be ready to go.”
The Royals (22-34-6), written off earlier by many but now in seventh place in the Western Conference, moved seven points ahead of the Cougars and Spokane Chiefs in the battle for a playoff berth. Eight teams will advance to the conference post-season. The Cougars have four games in hand on the Royals and the Chiefs have two in hand on Victoria. Depending on the result of a late-finishing game, the Royals might have climbed into a sixth-place tie with Vancouver, but the Giants hold four games in hand.
The youthful Cougars are considered the team of the future in the sa国际传媒 Division but it’s a hard lesson getting there as Prince George lost for the 22nd time in its last 25 games.
The Royals and Cougars meet again tonight at the Memorial Centre.
