The Victoria Royals’ quest to clinch a Western Hockey League playoff berth will extend to at least Friday in Prince George.
The Royals failed to get the single point they needed in a 5-1 loss to the Blazers on Wednesday night in Kamloops.
The game was not auspicious from the start with captain Matthew Phillips and sniper Tyler Soy, who between them have accounted for 180 points this season, scratched with injuries and listed as day-to-day.
“It’s nothing major,” said Royals head coach Dan Price, of the injuries.
The Royals got off to a brisk start despite being without Phillips and Soy. Victoria held a 7-0 shots advantage, only to be stymied by Blazers goaltender Dylan Ferguson of Lantzville, who made headlines this season as an emergency NHL call-up for the Las Vegas Golden Knights.
Connor Zary scored between the legs of Royals rookie goaltender Dean McNabb on Kamloops’ first shot of the game at 11:39. Victoria, at that point, could have guessed it was going to be one of those nights.
“We had a good start. But give Kamloops credit. They were very opportunistic on their chances,” said Price.
“We need to be opportunistic around the net, too.”
The critical juncture of the game came with Kamloops leading 2-0 when Ferguson poked checked the puck away from Dante Hannoun on a Victoria short-handed penalty shot at 9:59 of the second period. That was followed almost immediately by a Kamloops power play goal at 10:33 by Joe Gatenby in what amounted to a two-goal swing away from Victoria in just 34 seconds.
The Royals goal came from Russian import Andrei Grishakov, his 19th of the season, in the second period. Blazers defenceman Nolan Kneen from Duncan picked up an assist on a goal by Nick Chyzowski, one of two Kamloops power-play tallies on the night.
McNabb rallied to make 35 saves, including on a penalty shot by Quinn Benjafield. Ferguson made 24 saves.
Kamloops, in a longshot bid to overtake Seattle for the eighth final playoff berth in the Western Conference, snapped a three-game losing streak and moved to 28-32-5 and six points behind Seattle but with the Thunderbirds holding three games in hand. Victoria (35-24-5) lost for the third consecutive game but is almost assured of making the playoffs, needing only that elusive point over its last eight games to clinch.
