Cliffhanger is more than just an old Sly Stallone movie. It鈥檚 been the plotline provided by the Victoria Royals in their last two games as they have rallied late for 3-2 and 4-3 overtime victories against the Seattle Thunderbirds and Medicine Hat Tigers, respectively.
It鈥檚 been better late than never for the league鈥檚 second-ranked offence as the Royals (32-18-4) are 11-3 in their last 14 games.
鈥淭he guys have stayed with it and they keep playing,鈥� said coach Dan Price.
The Royals take their brinkmanship into Portland tonight to face the Winterhawks (31-18-4). This is a tough assignment against a Portland team that features four first-round NHL draft picks, which is impressive by any standards. Forward Cody Glass was taken sixth overall by the Las Vegas Golden Knights, defenceman Dennis Cholowski 20th overall by the Detroit Red Wings, forward Kieffer Bellows 19th overall by the New York Islanders and blue-liner Henri Jokiharju 29th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Winterhawks also feature defenceman Brendan De Jong, a six-foot-five Victoria product taken in the sixth round by the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Winterhawks, however, face a surging Victoria squad.
What is most impressive is that Royals have found a way despite being without injured St. Louis Blues-signed forward Tanner Kaspick for the last three games. Kaspick, who has been a catalyst for the Royals since being acquired at the trade deadline, looks good for a return tonight, according to Price.
Kaspick is among eight additions to the team acquired at or near the trade deadline.
鈥淭his team is close and they have accepted all of us really quickly,鈥� said forward Noah Gregor, a San Jose Sharks fourth-round draft pick, who is a part of that new wave.
Not that the old guard hasn鈥檛 been holding sway with the line of veteran Royals Matthew Phillips, Tyler Soy and Dante Hannoun being especially darting and dangerous.
Royals captain Phillips is working on a 14-games points streak. The Calgary Flames-signed prospect has 10 goals and 26 points in that stretch.
Soy, who on Saturday in Seattle became the first Royals player to record 300 points in his career, is on the verge of breaking the all-time Victoria Royals/Chilliwack Bruins franchise record for goals and sits one shy of the 140 scored by Ryan Howse.
Earlier in the season, Soy eclipsed former Royals/Bruins dynamo Brandon Magee to become the career franchise points leader. Soy deflects the career-milestones accolades back to his teammates.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been teammates for four years now and have built up a lot of chemistry,鈥� said Soy, of playing with Hannoun and Phillips.
The Royals return for a home set Friday and Saturday against the Kelowna Rockets at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre that could go a long way in settling the sa国际传媒 Division crown.
Kelowna and Victoria are tied atop the division but the Rockets hold two games in hand. The Vancouver Giants are four points behind but also have two games in hand, giving the Royals all the incentive they should need tonight in Portland.
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