For a couple of offensively-notable teams, the Victoria Royals and Spokane Chiefs played it tight Friday night before 4,771 fans at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena.
The Royals were the first team in the Western Hockey League to reach the 100-goals scored plateau this season. The Chiefs, meanwhile, feature the quick and dangerous 2017 NHL first-round draft pick Kailer Yamamoto, who had 42 goals and 99 points last season, and who was only recently returned to junior after making his NHL debut with nine games up with the Edmonton Oilers.
But the Royals and Chiefs went scoreless for most of the night before Victoria defenceman Jared Freadrich won it with his fourth goal of the season at 18:54 of the third period in a 1-0 Royals victory.
A hustling Regan Nagy beat the Spokane defenders to the puck in the offensive zone and fed Freadrich, who had moved up in the play, for the snap one-timer that hushed the Spokane building.
“This game definitely had a playoff-type feel to it,” said Royals head coach Dan Price.
“Both teams were responsible defensively.”
The Royals (15-7-1) ended a two-game losing slide while stopping a two-game win streak for the Chiefs (10-8-3).
“Our veterans took ownership and found a way to win a close game in a tough building against a tough team,” said Price.
One veteran in particular, forward Dante Hannoun, stood out to the bench boss.
“Dante was our best player in the third period as he raced to pucks and battled to win them,” said Price.
“He set the tone and the rest of the guys fed off that.”
Victoria goaltender Griffen Outhouse finished with 19 saves for the shutout, while Dawson Weatherill of Spokane stopped 23 shots, several of them high-quality chances for Victoria.
The Royals were missing veteran blue-liner Ralph Jarratt, who Price said is game-to-game, for a second consecutive contest.
Victoria’s swing through eastern Washington continues tonight against the Tri-City Americans (13-5-2), a 4-1 winner Friday over the Prince Albert Raiders, and an honourable mention in the Canadian Hockey League top-10 poll.
The Royals return home to meet the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Tuesday night at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
