Just call him Cardiac Kipkie.
The Victoria Royals rallied for their second come-from-behind overtime victory in as many games to rouse a New Year’s Day matinee crowd of 4,317 at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre. And for the second time in as many games, it was defenceman Justin Kipkie who scored the winning overtime goal as the Arizona Coyotes draft pick wired a shot to the top corner at 1:30 of extra time to give Victoria a 5-4 win over the Calgary Hitmen.
The Royals scored twice in the final four minutes of the third period to overcome a two-goal deficit to tie the game 4-4 through Teydon Trembecky and Dawson Pasternak, the latter goal coming with Victoria goaltender Jayden Kraus pulled for an extra attacker.
It was another in a series of comeback wins this season for Victoria, including Saturday night’s 4-3 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings before a capacity crowd of 7,006 at the Memorial Centre, as Kipkie scored his first OT winner of the long weekend.
“The resilient attitude of this group is huge. Nobody ever gives up,” said Kipkie.
Although coaches know living dangerously like this is not sustainable, the Royals bench-boss James Patrick appreciates the seat-of-the-pants effort.
“There is no quit in this team. That’s a good trait to have,” said Patrick, the former NHL veteran.
The Royals came out Monday flatter than the previous night’s champagne in pantries across the Island, before finally finding their footing.
“I didn’t like the way we started the game,” said Patrick.
“We had a little more desperation at the end. That led to us having more of a jump and worked in our favour. This group hasn’t given up all season. They find a way to come back.”
Victoria won for the ninth time in its last 11 games to move to 23-13-2 as the most improved team in the WHL after missing the playoffs the past two seasons and finishing last in the league in the bubble season before that.
“These are respectful kids who work hard,” said Patrick.
“It has not been easy for the players who have been here for three, or even four, seasons. They have had sand kicked in their faces. They have a chip on their shoulders. They have pride and want to push back this season.”
The offensive contribution of blueliners Kipkie and Nate Misskey has been key to the turnaround.
“Our defence steps up huge on offence,” said Kipkie, who has 10 goals, including three overtime game winners.
The pair’s value is not lost on Patrick, who said: “One is drafted [Kipkie by the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes] and the other [Misskey] should have been drafted. Both have the potential to play at the highest level but they have a lot of work ahead of them.”
The goal of the game Monday, however, came via a remarkable assist from Hitmen defenceman Carter Yakemchuk, who showed why he is ranked for the first round of the 2024 NHL draft in setting up a tap-in goal by Chase Valliant to make it 3-2 for Calgary (13-17-5).
But the last goal belonged to Kipkie in a Royals script that is becoming familiar this season.
ICE CHIPS: Royals forward Robin Sapousek was set to play for Czechia against Canada this morning in the quarter-finals of the world junior championship tournament in Gothenburg, Sweden. Patrick won gold and bronze medals for Canada as a junior in the world championships and was asked about conflicted emotions.
“I want all of my players to play as well as they can,” said Patrick. He said he has closely followed Sapousek and fellow-Royals forward Casper Evensen Haugen of Norway at the world juniors in Gothenburg.
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