Another day, another vital B.C. Division victory for the Victoria Royals.
The Western Hockey League club extended its win streak to five games via a 2-1 triumph over the host Prince George Cougars on Friday night. The game was part of an important stretch as the Royals attempt to move up the standings.
Over those five key wins, the team has allowed just four goals — which adds up to victories.
“I thought our guys did a really good job [defensively]. We got back to pucks quick, we got them going and we were able to play our way and play fast,” said Royals head coach Dave Lowry, whose team is coming off a two-game home sweep of these same Cougars and wins over both Kelowna and Kamloops.
“Our preparation was exceptional and our discipline was real good tonight. I thought our guys really came and were prepared to play, right from the start. It allowed us to grab the lead and control the game, for the most part.”
Victoria opened the scoring on Vladimir Bobylev’s second of the season, since he recently returned to the club from Russia. The goal came on a power play at 7:32 of the first period as the Royals outshot the Cougars 19-8 over the first 20 minutes.
Regan Nagy upped the advantage to 2-0 at 12:48 of the second period with his 12th of the season. The veteran forward had extended his point-scoring streak to five games with an assist on Bobylev’s tally.
Kody McDonald cut into the lead just 58 seconds into the third period for the Cougars.
Griffen Outhouse — coming off goalie of the week honours in both the Western Hockey League and Canadian Hockey League after allowing just three goals in four wins — kept up his pace by stopping 25 shots.
Ty Edmonds was the much busier netminder, facing 38 shots from the Royals.
Victoria was without defenceman Chaz Reddekopp, who was handed a two-game suspension under supplemental discipline from the win in Kamloops, where he was not originally penalized.
Reddekopp was on an 11-game point-scoring streak and also will miss tonight’s rematch.
Prince George added to their roster on Thursday, acquiring potential first-round NHL pick Nikita Popugaev in a trade with the Moose Jaw Warriors in exchange for forwards Yan Khomenko and Justin Almeida. Almeida was a second-round pick in the 2018 draft and a fifth-round selection in 2017.
Six-foot-five, 203-pound Russian forward Popugaev had 22 goals and 29 assists in 40 games in Moose Jaw.
“We’ve added a player to our lineup that can be an offensive game-changer for us,” Cougars general manager Todd Harkins said.
“Nikita is one of the most skilled and dominant offensive players in the Western Hockey League and he’s got a tremendously bright future in the game.”
Popugaev had an assist Friday, and the two teams meet again tonight at 7 at the CN Centre before the Royals return to face Kelowna on Wednesday at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
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