EVERETT SILVERTIPS 3
VICTORIA 2
The strait story will begin on Blanshard Street, likely next Friday and Saturday.
The Victoria Royals secured home home-ice advantage in their opening-round WHL playoff series against the Vancouver Giants and will be the B.C. Division second seed to the Giants as No. 3 seed.
The Royals (39-26-6) were 3-2 losers to the Silvertips Friday night before 8,377 fans at Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett, Washington, but backed into the divisional second seed when the Giants were beaten 5-2 by the B.C. Division-champion Rockets in Kelowna.
The Royals lead the Giants by three points, with each team having only one game remaining in the regular season.
“We wanted to get it by winning, but it helps in our planning for the week,” Royals head coach Dan Price said of capturing the divisional second seed.
The Silvertips (46-20-5) took a big step toward capturing both the U.S. Division and Western Conference regular-season titles over the Portland Winterhawks, but can’t officially clinch until tonight when Everett and Victoria meet again, this time on Blanshard Street, to close out their 2017-18 regular-seasons.
Dante Hannoun’s 25th goal of the season tied it for Victoria at 18:33 of the first period Friday after Wyatte Wylie had given Everett the lead. Garret Pilon, on a power-play assist by Florida Panthers-signed Patrick Bajkov of Nanaimo, gave the Silvertips the lead again at 14:36 of the second period.
The 29th goal of the season by San Jose Sharks fourth-round draft pick Noah Gregor tied it 2-2 for Victoria at 2:48 of the third period before Luke Ormsby scored the game winner at 4:50 on an assist from ex-Royals forward Spencer Gerth.
Griffen Outhouse made 41 saves in goal for Victoria while Canada’s world-junior gold-medallist netminder, Carter Hart, made 20 for Everett.
Victoria blueliner Scott Walford, a third-round draft pick of the Montreal Canadiens, went out in the first period with injury.
“It’s upper body and hopefully it’s short term,” said Price.
Victoria captain Matthew Phillips was rocked by a Silvertips hit late in the third period and took a while to get up from the ice but returned to the game with 20 seconds remaining.
“The atmosphere and crowd was loud and it was really physical and mean and both teams challenged each other,” said Price.
“There is definitely animosity between these teams.”
The Royals and Silvertips were first-round opponents in last year’s playoffs in a series that ended with conference-champion Everett outlasting Victoria in an epic five overtime periods in Game 6 in the longest game in WHL and CHL history.
