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Regina and Moose Jaw couldn’t pop into view at a better time on the Prairie horizon for the spiraling Victoria Royals. The Royals haven’t exactly been road warriors on the longest trip of their Western Hockey League season.

Attacking-midfielder Marco Bustos has shown enough flashiness so far in his soccer career to earn six caps for sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ and games in Major League Soccer for the Vancouver Whitecaps.

The final two remaining University of Victoria Vikes basketball players to dribble in sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ West games in McKinnon Gym — Kristy Gallagher out of Parkland Secondary and Hayden Lejeune from Sardis — will graduate this season.

Perhaps it’s only fitting that Victoria and Prince Albert, cities named in honour of a famous Royal couple, should have so many connections between their hockey teams.

It seems counter intuitive that the Island — where the wet stuff doesn’t usually freeze — should be so good in winter sports.

VICTORIA 5 (SO) WEST KELOWNA 4 It was two teams in the bottom third of the standings, but Tuesday night’s game at The Q Centre was billed as a playoff-like game as only four points separated the Victoria Grizzlies and West Kelowna Warriors in the bat

SASKATOON 4 VICTORIA 3 (OT) Scott Walford recorded what had to be among the two sweetest assists of his WHL career.

Fred (Whitey) Severson was known as one of the finest players to grace a lacrosse floor. The Victoria Shamrocks legend died Monday at 91.

Get ready for fewer visits to The Q Centre from the Cowichan Valley Capitals, Nanaimo Clippers and other Island Division teams next season, and more from the likes of the Surrey Eagles, Coquitlam Express and other Mainland Division teams as the sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½

Unless you are from New Zealand, you never want to hear the Rolling Stones’ Paint It Black at a rugby venue.