Maybe Tinkerbell was hovering above the Toyota Center in Kennewick, Washington, on Friday night. The Victoria Royals closed in on the Magic Kingdom of magic numbers with a 6-4 Western Hockey League victory over the Tri-City Americans.
It was a four-point swing game that left Western Conference fifth-place Victoria’s magic number at two — meaning any combination of two Royals wins or two regulation losses by the ninth-place Americans will clinch a playoff berth for Victoria. It would be the first post-season appearance by the Royals since 2018-19 after the pandemic forced the cancellations of the 2020 and 2021 playoffs and Victoria failed to qualify for the last two post-seasons in 2022 and 2023.
A boost for Victoria (28-24-8) this year has been its play against Tri-City with the season account closing 4-0 against the Americans.
Reggie Newman tipped home a Tanner Scott shot at 18:49 of the third period Friday for the winning goal with defenceman Jaren Brinson adding a Victoria insurance goal into the empty night. Tri-City scored first but two goals by Dawson Pasternak with his 23rd and 24th and others by Cole Reschny with his 18th and Brinson with his first of the night gave Victoria 4-1 lead in the first period. Two goals by Jake Sloan chipped that away to within one by the end of the second period and Brandon Whynott tied it 4-4 for the Amerks in the third period.
Rookie Reschny, the emerging star forward, 20-year-old graduating forward Pasternak and rearguard Brinson had three-point nights for Victoria.
“Finding a way to win was outstanding tonight,” said Royals head coach James Patrick.
“This was a playoff atmosphere and four-point game. Nerves were different, the battle was different, the pressure was different because what the stakes were. To experience that type of hockey only makes us better.”
With a depleted blue line missing defencemen Austin Zemlak, Ryan Spizawka, Hudson Bjornson and 2024 NHL draft-ranked Nate Misskey,Victoria was forced to call up two affiliate blue-liners — 16-year-old Jerrett Ross and 15-year-old Royals defenceman-of-the-future Keaton Verhoeff.
Verhoeff, selected fourth overall in the first round of the 2023 WHL prospects draft, represented Canada in the 2024 Youth Winter Olympics in January at Gangwon, South Korea, and was all over the ice Friday and looked well beyond his tender years.
Parker Bell of the Americans had an assist in the last career game against his home-Island Royals for the graduating 20-year-old junior from Campbell River, a six-foot-four winger under NHL contract to the Calgary Flames.
The Royals have eight games remaining in the regular season and are in Portland tonight against the Winterhawks, in Spokane Tuesday against the Chiefs, in Everett next Friday against the Silvertips and back at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre next Saturday against the Silvertips. The Royals will conclude the regular season this month with two home games each against the Prince George Cougars and Wenatchee Wild.
