It’s a gamble sometimes worth taking. The Saskatoon Blades went all in last season in an attempt to win the Memorial Cup as host.
When that fails, as it did for the Blades, there’s often not a lot left over and the following season can be brutal. That’s the nature of major-junior hockey.
The rebuilding Blades (16-41-5) proved a soft target and the Victoria Royals took advantage with a 6-3 Western Hockey League victory Saturday evening before 5,278 fans at Credit Union Centre in Saskatoon.
The Royals, meanwhile, seem to be all in for this season. Victoria (43-17-4), ranked No. 10 in the Canadian Hockey League top-10 poll, is 25-4-3 since Dec. 12. Saturday was the Royals’ fifth game in eight days but that didn’t stop them from concluding their grinding road trip through Manitoba and Saskatchewan at 4-1.
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“We try to be a top-conditioned team … one that is able to find another gear in situations like this where there are a lot of games in a short span,” said Royals head coach Dave Lowry.
“We have high expectations as a group.”
Friday’s 3-2 loss in Regina to the Pats halted several notable Victoria runs — its winning streak at seven, road winning streak at eight and overall unbeaten streak at 14.
“I liked the way we answered the loss from the night before,” said Lowry.
And it didn’t take long as Logan Nelson and Taylor Crunk gave Victoria a 2-0 lead just 1:03 into the first period. Ryan Graham cut that to 2-1 but Royals defenceman Brett Cote’s buzzer-beater with one second left in the first period proved central to the outcome.
“We got a good start. Then the late goal allowed us to regain the two-goal lead and settle back in,” said Lowry.
Buffalo Sabres-prospect Nelson finished with two goals, Ben Walker a goal and assist, Jordan Fransoo and Austin Carroll with two assists each and Cote, Crunk and Axel Blomqvist with a goal each. Brandon Magee’s three assists gave him a Royals-leading 58 points on the season. Patrik Polivka took the win as Victoria outshot Saskatoon 40-20.
The Royals, who left for home right after the game, will continue to see a lot of blacktop. They are in Prince George next Friday and Saturday to play the Cougars.
