The Victoria Royals knew they needed to sauce it up.
So they cracked open the Soy. A whopping big helping of it.
But will it have to go back on the shelf?
Tyler Soy scored three goals in his first game of the series, including two ripped home on the power play, to lead the Victoria Royals to a 7-3 victory over the Vancouver Giants before 4,823 fans at the Langley Events Centre. The result tied the best-of-seven WHL Western Conference quarter-final 2-2.
Soy has 17 playoff goals in his Royals career to surpass the former franchise record of 15 held by Jack Walker, now with the Rapid City Rush of the ECHL, and recently called up to the Iowa Wild of the AHL.
From Langley-neighbouring Cloverdale, Soy is the all-time Royals regular-season franchise leader in goals, assists and points. The Anaheim Ducks-prospect missed the first three games of the series after being taken into the boards in the last game of the regular season against Everettt.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been tough watching from up top,鈥� said Soy, in his Sportsnet TV interview during Game 4.
But then, in the kind of twist that could only happen in this ill-tempered series, Soy appeared to be hurt again in the third period when he was wrestled hard to the ice by Giants forward Tyler Benson following the whistle. Soy went to the dressing room and did not return. The scuffle occurred after Dawson Holt of Vancouver was penalized for a high hit on Royal captain Matthew Phillips.
鈥淭yler [Soy] is as great a person as he is a player and is such a positive influence in our room,鈥� said Royals head coach Dan Price.
鈥淚n the room, he calms everybody down. On the ice, he makes great plays.鈥�
Asked about why Soy went to the dressing room in the third period, not to return, Price said he did not know because he had not had the chance by deadline to talk to the team medical staff.
Dante Hannoun had a goal on a five-point night and Phillips a goal and four points as Victoria鈥檚 top line was energized by the return of Soy.
Veteran defenceman Ralph Jarratt, with his first career playoff goal, and forward Jeff de Wit on the power play had the other Royals goals.
Victoria was an effective 3-7 on the odd-man.
鈥淥ur compete level was high,鈥� said Price.
鈥淲e played fast and physical and battled for pucks, space and position.鈥�
Griffen Outhouse made 24 saves for the Royals, including two outstanding stops on a two-man Vancouver power play early in the third period, and said he thought it was Victoria鈥檚 best game of the series.
The Royals have never led in the series. For the second time they responded to a first-star goaltender who had robbed them in a preceding game. In Game 2, they got five goals past Game 1 hero Trent Miner, and seven goals in Game 4 against Game 3 star David Tendeck.
Going into Game 4, Price said response is everything in the playoffs. They found one against Miner in Game 2 and another last night against Tendeck.
The result assured that the series returns to Langley for Game 6 on Monday afternoon, following Game 5 on Saturday night at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
鈥淲e know Vancouver is going to come out aggressive in Game 5. We have to, as well,鈥� said Price.
The Royals are still missing St. Louis Blues-signed centre Tanner Kaspick, forward Dino Kambeitz and blue-liner and Montreal Canadiens third-round draft pick Scott Walford.
The Giants blue line was thinned Thursday by suspensions to Matt Barberis and Darian Skeoch, but they return for Game 5.
