VICTORIA 9
SASKATOON 3
Ryan Peckford, in many ways an unlikely candidate to do so, set the Victoria Royals franchise record for most points in a game with six on a goal and five assists Tuesday night at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
Peckford, a 17-year-old forward better known for his intensity than his scoring, eclipsed the former record of five points that was held by six players over 11 seasons.
The native of Stony Plain, Alta., only had three assists in 10 games this season coming into the 9-3 WHL victory over the Saskatoon Blades before an announced crowd of 3,082.
“It’s exciting, obviously, but I couldn’t have done it without the boys burying the pucks,” said Peckford, noting he is more of a playmaker than a scorer.
“It [record] is definitely a good feeling and something I will be able to look back on as an exciting point in my career.”
The nine goals tied the franchise record for most in a game, equalling the 9-2 victory over Lethbridge on Feb. 2, 2010, when the franchise was located in Chilliwack and known as the Bruins.
On most nights, that would have been the story. But Peckford’s individual achievement overshadowed all else.
“That is only the tip of Ryan’s potential,” said Royals coach Dave Lowry. “But you have to do it [play to a high standard] every night. That’s the challenge.”
There are fast starts and then there is what happened Tuesday at the Memorial Centre. The Royals began with one of the greatest periods in franchise history and led 5-1 after the opening frame. The outburst tied the team record for most goals in a period. It has now been done seven times, previously on Nov. 21, 2015, against the Tri-City Americans.
The Royals missed the chance to set the outright record of six goals in a period when Matthew Phillips banged the puck off the post on a penalty shot in the last minute of the opening period.
Two other franchise records were also tied. Peckford matched the standard for most points in a period with four, previously accomplished by Oscar Moller in the third period at Tri-City on Oct. 19, 2007, when the franchise was the Bruins, and by defenceman Chaz Reddekopp in the third period in Everett on Dec. 17, 2014.
Peckford and Phillips also tied the team record for most assists in a period with three each to match Reddekopp’s trio from that game in Everett two years ago.
Victoria forward Dante Hannoun scored to extend his points streak to seven games. It was one of three Royals power-play goals with the others coming from Reddekopp and Regan Nagy.
Nagy finished with two goals and veteran defenceman Ryan Gagnon with three assists. Rookie forward Oliver Kaid scored his first career WHL goal, with the others for Victoria coming from Peckford, Blake Bargar, Jack Walker and defenceman Scott Walford. The Saskatoon goals were scored by Chase Wouters, Braylon Shmyr and Kolten Olynek.
Saskatoon rested goaltender Logan Flodell, who leads the league in save percentage and is second in goals-against average. Brock Hamm faced 35 Victoria shots, while Royals starter Griffen Outhouse 23 from the Blades.
