The Victoria Royals knew things were likely to even out after a blazing 7-0 start to the Western Hockey League season.
But a 3-6 stretch likely wasn’t what they envisioned as a follow-up.
The Royals went to 10-6 on the season following a 7-2 loss to the Spokane Chiefs on Saturday night before 6,525 fans on Canadian Armed Forces Appreciation Night at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
The Chiefs (9-7-3) have had recent issues of their own as the victory ended a three-game losing skid, including a 7-5 loss to Victoria on Friday to start the two-game set on the Island.
Spokane’s potent offence, however, could be stifled only for so long. The Chiefs’ scoring total Saturday, however, was abetted by two empty-net goals as Victoria made a desperate late-game attempt with goaltender Griffen Outhouse pulled for an extra attacker.
Among those scoring for the Chiefs were Luke Toporowski, ranked by Central Scouting for the 2019 NHL draft, sniper Riley Woods, with his 15th goal of the season, and Toronto Maple Leafs draft-pick Filip Kral.
Chiefs defenceman Ty Smith was also back to his normal self as the first-round draft pick of the New Jersey Devils rebounded from an uncharacteristic minus-five game in the loss to Victoria on Friday. The mobile blueliner was plus-one with two assists in the victory Saturday.
Victoria goals came from Danish U-20 international Phillip Schultz, shorthanded, and Kaid Oliver with his team-leading 12th goal of the season.
Both teams were absent key players. Two of Victoria’s 20-year-old over-agers, forward Dante Hannoun and defenceman Ralph Jarratt, were out. Hannoun, through whom much of the Royals offence flows, was absent for his fourth game of the last five and Victoria clearly missed his set-up abilities. Jarratt, who anchors the Royals defence with Montreal Canadiens third-round draft pick Scott Walford, is in a foot cast and out four to six weeks.
Spokane was without Los Angeles Kings' second-round draft pick Jaret Anderson-Dolan, who began the season with five games in the NHL with the Kings and five games in the AHL with Ontario Reign. Anderson-Dolan will be out six to eight weeks with a wrist injury after scoring two goals in two games back down with Spokane. That is a huge blow, not only for the Chiefs, but also potentially for the Canadian junior team if Anderson-Dolan can't make it back in time for the Canadian team selection camp next month at Naden and the Q Centre ahead of the 2019 IIHF world junior championship tournament at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre and Rogers Arena in Vancouver.
It’s a given, however, that Chiefs captain Smith will be invited to the Canadian team selection camp in Greater Victoria.
ICE CHIPS: The Royals have a week off before meeting the Regina Pats next Saturday on Blanshard . . . Spokane assistant coach Scott Burt knows the Memorial Centre well. Burt was a highly-effective former pro forward for the Idaho Steelheads and Alaska Aces and was always a burr in the side of the Victoria Salmon Kings during ECHL days . . . The dry spell is over for Matthew Phillips as last season’s Royals captain has scored his first goal as a professional. The undersized, but shifty and quick Phillips, had a goal and an assist in Friday’s 5-1 AHL victory by Stockton over Ontario. Phillips, who is eligible to return to Victoria as an over-age 20-year-old, has two points and is minus-four in nine games with the Calgary Flames’ AHL affiliate team in Stockton, California.
cdheensaw@timescolonist.com
