Victoria Royals fans have seen the Everett Silvertips only one time previously this season on Blanshard Street. But they could soon be buried beneath a green-and-gold avalanche of games against the ’Tips.
Of the scenarios that face the Royals, heading into the final weekend of the Western Hockey League regular season, is one in which they can potentially play Everett up to nine times in a row — the final two games of the regular season followed by a best-of-seven opening round playoff series.
Or they may never see the Silvertips again this season after Victoria’s 2013-14 regular-season closing games — tonight against the ’Tips at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre and Saturday at Comcast Arena in Everett.
There’s still a lot in play as the WHL lowers the curtain on the regular season.
“How we play this weekend determines everyone’s fate,” noted Royals GM Cam Hope.
How true.
The Royals (48-18-4) are guaranteed the third seed in the tough Western Conference and they open the post-season March 22-23 at the Memorial Centre. Victoria’s opponent for the best-of-seven first round will be the sixth seed, which has yet to be determined. It’s currently Everett (37-23-9), which has 83 points with three games remaining. But the fifth-seed Spokane Chiefs (84 points with two games remaining) and fourth-seed Seattle Thunderbirds (86 points with three games left) could also still fall to the sixth spot.
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It may come down to Everett’s final game of the season Sunday in Portland.
Spokane closes out against Tri-City tonight and Saturday. Seattle has difficult games against Portland tonight and Saturday before facing Tri-City on Sunday.
Hope said the Royals will not send staff to scout the remaining Spokane and Seattle games.
“Our philosophy is we prepare for what’s [directly] ahead of us and what we have ahead of us is the final regular-season games against Everett,” he said.
Meanwhile, two of the Western Conference opening series are set with top-seed Kelowna to play eighth-seed Tri-City and second-seed Portland to meet seventh-seed Vancouver.
As a indication of the depth in the Western Conference, WHL regular-season champion Kelowna is ranked No. 1 in the Canadian Hockey League top-10 poll, Portland No. 3 and Victoria No. 7.
While Kelowna and Portland are used to these heady heights, the Royals’ breakout season blew away all former standards in the eight-year history of the Chilliwack Bruins/Victoria Royals franchise with currently 48 wins and 100 points.
“The goal was to improve on last season [then franchise-records 35 wins and 77 points],” said Hope, in his sophomore season as Royals GM.
“But in terms of wins and points, it exceeded my expectations. To achieve a 100-point season, so many things have to fall right for you and go in your direction. Some are out of your control, such as injuries [or lack thereof].”
And now is the beginning of the end game, starting with finding out whether it will be Everett, Spokane or Seattle that will stand in the way of a first-ever playoff series win for the Chilliwack Bruins/Royals franchise.
The Silvertips are led by undrafted 20-year-old Josh Winquist’s franchise single-season record 45 goals and by Swiss blue-liner and San Jose Sharks 2013 first-round draft pick Mirco Mueller. The ’Tips come into the final weekend as the hottest team in the WHL, with a six-game winning streak, and are undefeated at 9-0-1 in their last 10 games.
