The run at a first-ever Western Hockey League regular-season crown continues at high noon today for the Victoria Royals as the current first-place overall club entertains the Prince George Cougars at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
Coming off a 6-2 win over P.G. on Friday, the Royals were four points up on the Kelowna Rockets in the Western Conference, but had played one more game than their sa国际传媒 opponent prior to last night鈥檚 action.
The Rockets were in Spokane on Saturday and move on to Tri-Cities today as the race for top spot 鈥� not only in the conference, but in the entire league 鈥� is still up for grabs.
No. 1 overall would provide home-ice advantage throughout the post-season, which is set to begin March 25 in Victoria. The opponent will become clearer by week鈥檚 end.
Today the Royals look to extend their impressive win streak to 10 games, but they know the Cougars will have their claws out after allowing five-straight goals in the 6-2 loss on Friday.
鈥淭his is potentially a playoff opponent, too, so we鈥檙e not going to take them lightly and it鈥檚 definitely a game we can get up for,鈥� said Royals forward Jack Walker, who buried a backhand, short-handed, breakaway goal on Friday.
The Royals control their own destiny over this final week of play and know what鈥檚 at stake.
鈥淲e鈥檙e just focusing on playing the right way leading into playoffs,鈥� said rookie sensation Matthew Phillips, who had two goals on Friday. 鈥淚 think wherever we end up, in the standings, it鈥檚 going to unfold that way. If we鈥檙e playing our kind of hockey and playing the right way, then I think that will be the difference.鈥�
They came alive in the third period Friday with four goals to win.
鈥淲e knew if we came out for 20 minutes we were going to come out with the win,鈥� said Royals forward Alex Forsberg, who also had two goals. 鈥淭hey played us tough. They鈥檙e a good squad. Their goalie played very well, but we just found a way in the third and it was nice to see.鈥�
And they all knew what was on the line with Kelowna right behind.
鈥淎s a group we realized it was a big game for us, so I give credit to the guys in the room that we rallied together,鈥� offered Phillips. 鈥淸Today] should be a fun one again. [The Cougars] came out and gave it a great effort. It was a playoff game out there. It was hard hitting and a good pace and we鈥檙e looking forward to [today].鈥�
Which should be another knock-鈥檈m-down, drag-鈥檈m-out, affair.
鈥淵ou expect these kinds of games,鈥� said Royals鈥� head coach Dave Lowry. 鈥淲e haven鈥檛 had games where we鈥檝e had to fight for space, going into the third period tied. This is what we expect. This is playoff hockey and we weren鈥檛 disappointed.
鈥淚t鈥檚 all about preparation, making sure we get our rest and making sure we鈥檙e ready to go,鈥� he said of today鈥檚 afternoon game. 鈥淚t鈥檚 playoff hockey. Games are hard. They鈥檙e physical, but the physical part doesn鈥檛 bother us. We can play whatever style of game we have to play. Our assets are our speed and skill and we鈥檙e not going to back away from playing a heavy game, either.鈥�
Victoria will wrap up its season with three more games this week 鈥� Wednesday in a key matchup in Kelowna, then in a home-and-home, two-game set against Everett, on the road on Friday and at home on Saturday.
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