Sharpen your skates!
This Sunday you have a chance to skate with current WHL stars, and maybe a few future National Hockey League players.
After the Royals battle the Calgary Hitmen in a Saturday-Sunday set, the Barn on Blanshard will stay open for a post-game skate.
With a few new faces joining the Royals on trade deadline day, up to seven NHL-drafted players will be out sharing a fresh sheet of ice and a leisurely skate.
The skate generally lasts around 45 minutes.
Surging Royals Winning High-Scoring Affairs
After a challenging finish to 2017, the Royals have been dynamite offensively over the last five games, winning four and tallying 25 goals.
They haven’t exactly been keeping the puck out of their own net, allowing 22 goals against over the same span (8 against Kelowna last Saturday), but it’s made for entertaining hockey.
Matthew Phillips has led the charge over the Royals’ recent success, currently riding an 8-game point streak during which he’s scored 4 goals and 12 assists. Dante Hannoun has also been on fire in the goal department, with 6 goals and 2 assists in the past 5 games.
Recently acquired Jeff de Wit is shattering his previous offensive pace, with 4 goals and 2 assists in the past 5 games. He’s up to 6 goals and 4 assists in 9 games overall in Victoria after posting 4 points in 15 games with Kootenay.
Tyler Soy and Igor Martynov both have scored 3 goals and 3 assists in their previous 5 matches. Chaz Reddekopp has paced defenders over the same time span, accumulating 2 goals and 5 assists from the blue line.
Given that the Calgary Hitmen have allowed the fifth most goals in the league and are up against the Royals’ 2nd ranked offense, we could be in for some high scoring hockey.
Team Summaries:
Victoria Royals
- Record: 27-17-3-1
- Last 10: 6-3-0-1
- Ranking: 2nd in B.C. Division
- Head-to-head: First meeting of the season
- Goals per game: 4.17, 2nd overall
- Goals against per game: 3.63, 8th overall
- Power play: 23.4%, 9th overall
- Penalty kill: 73%, 21st overall
- Goal leaders: Matthew Phillips (32), Tyler Soy (22), Dante Hannoun (20)
- Assist leaders: Matthew Phillips (43), Tyler Soy (34), Dante Hannoun (33)
- Points leaders: Matthew Phillips (75), Tyler Soy (56), Dante Hannoun (53)
- Last game: 8-4 loss at Kelowna
Calgary Hitmen
- Record: 15-26-5-1
- Last 10: 4-6-0-0
- Ranking: 4th in Central Division
- Head-to-head: First meeting of the season
- Goals per game: 3.11, 17th overall
- Goals against per game: 3.85, 18th overall
- Power play: 20.2%, 15th overall
- Penalty kill: 80%, 3rd overall
- Goal leaders: Jakob Stukel (22), Mark Kastelic (14), Riley Stotts (12)
- Assist leaders: Jake Kryski (25), Vladislav Yeryomenko (19), Luke Coleman (16)
- Points leaders: Jakob Stukel (37), Jake Kryski (35), Vladislav Yeryomenko (30)
- Last game: 4-3 win vs. Prince Albert
Victoria Royals two-game weekend set
- Game 1: vs. Calgary Hitmen
- When: Saturday, January 27th; 7:05pm puck drop.
- Where: Save-On-Foods Memorial Center
- Tickets: Here.
- Game 2: vs. Calgary Hitmen – skate with the Royals post-game!
- When: Sunday, January 28th; 5:05pm puck drop.
- Where: Save-On-Foods Memorial Center
- Tickets: Here.
