Get ready, Victoria!
If all goes as planned, the Victoria Royals could secure a playoff spot this Tuesday on the road in Spokane.
If not, they will have another chance on the road again this Friday or at home on Saturday!
But before that, for the fourth and final time this season, the Victoria Royals (28-24-5-4) and the Portland Winterhawks (41-15-2-1) faced off in a Pacific Northwest matchup last Saturday.
It was the second game of back-to-back outings for both teams, with the Royals prevailing 6-4 over Tri-City on Friday.
With a Royals win and a Tri-City loss during, the Royals would have clinched a playoff berth for the first time since the 2019-20 season.
Portland opened the scoring in front of their home crowd at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum; however, the Royals managed to take a 3-1 lead in the 3rd period.
The Winterhawks quickly responded with two goals of their own to tie the game. Despite the momentum swinging in Portland’s favour, the Royals didn’t give up. Just 82 seconds after the equalizer, Victoria restored their lead. Cole Reschny (20) scored his second goal of the evening to make it 4-3 in favor of the Royals.
As the game neared its end, the Royals earned a powerplay, and Portland capitalized, with Marcus Nguyen (20) scoring on a short-handed breakaway to tie the game at four apiece.
Regulation ended with the score tied at 4-4, sending the Royals and Winterhawks to overtime.
It took just 27 seconds of overtime for the Winterhawks to grab the win, narrowly defeating the Royals 5-4.
Looking ahead to Tuesday, the Royals will be in Spokane to take on the Chiefs, needing one point to secure their playoff spot.
They will then face the Everett Silvertips on the road before returning home for a game at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre this Saturday, March 9th.
This will be a game fans won’t want to miss and will be Trades Night presented by Milestone Equipment Contracting & Vancouver Island Construction Association.
The concourse will be full of booths, information, and machinery for both kids and adults to learn more about trades work.
Fun pre-game activities for the whole family include “Meet a Machine,” “Touch a Truck” (weather permitting), a colouring contest, a bouncy castle, music, and treats.
The first 1,000 kids will receive a special mini-stick!
Don’t forget to check out the new “TacoTacoTaco” concession, offering slush margaritas and other fun treats!
Victoria Royals vs Everett Silvertips
- Where: Save-on-Foods, 1925 Blanshard Street
- When: Saturday, March 9th, puck drops 6;05 p.m.
