It’s the closest thing to a “gimme” in the rugged B.C. Division of the Western Hockey League.
Of the Victoria Royals’ remaining 27 regular-season games, eight are against the Vancouver Giants, beginning tonight at the Langley Events Centre.
Those are 16 points prime for the picking.
The Giants (16-25-3) have lost five consecutive games and appear well on their way to missing the playoffs for the third season in a row and the fourth time in the past five years.
Vancouver pretty much went into full-bore retooling by shipping away veterans Thomas Foster, Dmitry Osipov, Radovan Bondra and Alec Baer at the trade deadline last week.
The Giants still feature the dangerous offensive duo of Edmonton Oilers’ high second-round draft pick Tyler Benson and New York Rangers prospect Ty Ronning. It would have been interesting to know the potential ransom in young prospects and bantam draft picks the Giants might have been asking in return for those two at the trade deadline.
It clouds Vancouver’s prospects tonight, however, that Benson missed the Giants’ last game, a 4-1 loss on Friday in Langley to the Moose Jaw Warriors.
It should be noted the Royals’ previous game against Vancouver, a 5-4 overtime loss Dec. 17 at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre on a goal in overtime by Ronning, is still fresh enough in mind for Victoria.
“They are a different team than the last time we played them [because of the trades], but we cannot take them lightly,” said Royals forward Jack Walker, who has a team second-leading 21 goals and 49 points.
The one thing the Royals want to avoid is complacency and the notion these are a soft 16 points in the offing. Nothing will be easily conceded by the Giants in the eight remaining cross-strait match-ups against Victoria (23-18-4), warned Royals head coach Dave Lowry.
“We have to go in with mindset that we are playing a desperate team,” he said.
“They beat us the last time we played, and that should resonate with our players. If you don’t respect your opponents, you won’t win.”
Royals forward Tyler Soy concurred.
“The Giants beat us the last time and they will be hungry,” said the Anaheim Ducks draft pick from Cloverdale, who will be playing in front of a large section of family and friends tonight in Langley.
“Each and every point matters, especially in divisional games.”
The Royals will head from Langley to Alberta for games Thursday in Edmonton against the Oil Kings, Friday in Calgary against the Hitmen and Saturday in Red Deer against the Rebels.
ICE CHIPS: Royals forward Ryan Peckford, who left Saturday night’s 3-0 victory over Moose Jaw in the first period, did not skate Monday in practice. Lowry did not say if Peckford will make the road trip, but that seems unlikely. He has 13 goals and 33 points in his sophomore season . . . Victoria defenceman Scott Walford, who missed the last two games, skated in practice, but wore a no-hit singlet . . . Royals assistant coach Doug Bodger had a good reason for missing Saturday’s home win against Moose Jaw. The 1,000-plus games-played NHLer from Chemainus was away that night playing with the Pittsburgh Penguins alumni team in a 3-3 tie against the Flyers alumni before 19,600 fans in Philadelphia. Also on the Penguins alumni team were former WHL Victoria Cougars blueliners Kim Clackson and Gordie Roberts. Missing for the Flyers was former Victoria Cougars forward Al Hill. But bearing down on former Pens defenceman Bodger again, although now a few steps slower, were past Flyers legends Eric Lindros, Reggie Leach, John LeClair, Bobby Clarke and Bill Barber.
