SEATTLE 3
VICTORIA 1
No Barzal? No problem.
Even without their star forward Mathew Barzal, who is immersed in the NHL pre-season with the New York Islanders, the Seattle Thunderbirds defeated the Victoria Royals 3-1 in Western Hockey League play Friday night before 4,346 fans at the ShoWare Center in Kent, Washington.
The Thunderbirds (2-2) are also without another standout forward, NHL Columbus Blue Jackets-signed Keegan Kolesar, who is out until mid-November following hernia surgery.
Filling in admirably has been Alexander True, the six-foot-four, 19-year-old forward from Denmark, who scored two second-period goals to take Seattle to a lead it would not relinquish. True has four goals on the season. His second one Friday was the first power-play goal the Thunderbirds have scored this season.
The other player of the Thunderbirds’ big triumvirate — defenceman and Edmonton Oilers prospect Ethan Bear — assisted on Nolan Volcan’s goal to make it 3-0 at 3:09 of the third period.
Defenceman Chaz Reddekopp, in his second game for Victoria after returning from the NHL camp of the L.A. Kings, finally registered the Royals on the board with a power-play goal at 12:14 of the third.
The 17-year-old rookie Dylan Myskiw made 24 saves in goal for Victoria. The 20-year-old veteran Rylan Toth, obtained this season from the Red Deer Rebels, stopped 28 shots for Seattle in a solid outing and was named the game’s second star behind True.
The Royals, the defending WHL regular-season champions, are off to a disappointing start at 2-4.
Victoria is 1-1 on its six-game road trip, which continues in Spokane tonight, Medicine Hat on Tuesday, Lethbridge on Wednesday and Edmonton next Friday.
