VICTORIA 6
EVERETT 4
As far as scripts go, this one ventured way off topic with plenty of ad-libbing going on.
Two of the stingiest teams in the Western Hockey League combined for 10 goals on holiday Monday afternoon as the Victoria Royals extended their franchise winning streak to nine games.
The Royals bounced back from a 4-3 deficit as Jack Walker recorded a natural hat-trick, striking three times in a 5:17 span in the final 6:35 of the third period in posting a wild 6-4 win over the visiting Everett Silvertips at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
Royals head coach Dave Lowry certainly wasn’t expecting that type of game.
“Not against the two teams with the lowest goals against in the league,” he said afterward. “They worked for their goals. We made some poor decisions, but I give them credit. They capitalized on their opportunities, but we’re a team that can score. I don’t know if we get enough credit for it, but we can score goals.”
They came in bushels in this one.
Tyler Soy, who scored twice and added two assists, was just as startled as Lowry with the type of game it became, especially after a scoreless first period that turned into a 3-2 advantage for the Silvertips after 40 minutes.
“Going into this game we knew they would try to win 1-0 and have it as a close game,” said Soy, who had a power-play goal on a 5-on-3 situation to open scoring early in the second. “To be able to score six on them is pretty great, but hopefully we don’t give up four every night.”
The offence kicked in when required as the Royals trailed 4-3 midway through the third period. It was led by Walker, who now has 22 goals on the season.
“I think the turning point was probably capitalizing on that last power play to put us ahead. It gave us that little extra boost,” said Walker, whose goal at 15:49 came on a man advantage and proved to be the game-winner.
He then banged in a loose puck at 18:42 for insurance. The goal was originally credited to Matthew Phillips.
“It was good we stayed determined and we kept working hard in their end and eventually the goals came,” said Phillips, who did have the other Victoria goal and is now one shy of tying the franchise record for tallies by a rookie at 32.
It was the third straight time the Royals — who now have points in 12 straight outings — came back from a third-period deficit to win.
“These guys believe they have an opportunity to win every night and we’ve been able to find a way,” added Lowry, who watched his team score three times in the third on Saturday to down Portland 3-1.
“We’ve been taught to work to the end and I think it showed how we played out there tonight and the last game in Portland,” said Soy, who now has 29 goals. “We’ve just been battling so hard. I’m really proud of the guys.”
They continue to battle to the final whistle and don’t often cheat themselves as they are now 35-15-2-3, but remain two points back of the Kelowna Rockets, who defeated Seattle 7-4 on Monday.
Everett, who received goals from Carson Stadnyk, Connor Dewar, Brycen Martin and Noah Juulsen, continues to lead the U.S. Division at 32-17-2-2 and have allowed just 118 goals against this season. Goalie Carter Hart brought a 31-15-1-2 record into the game with a 1.96 goals-against average and .925 save percentage.
The No. 1 ranked North American goalie at the mid-term by Central Scouting Services gave up the six goals on 32 shots on this day, while Griffen Outhouse stopped just 19 of 23 for Victoria.
Outhouse didn’t have much of a chance on all four goals, though, two off screens, one off a rebound on a 2-on-1 and one from point-blank range as the Royals failed to pick up the trailing defenceman.
Victoria now plays host to Dysin Mayo and the Edmonton Oil Kings tonight at 7.
