It had all the feel of a playoff game, which was only appropriate, since it might be an opening-round post-season match-up in the WHL Western Conference beginning March 29. The 5,472 fans, among the largest turnouts of the season at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre, gave it a further playoff atmosphere. Well, at least for two periods, as the Everett Silvertips ripped home five unanswered goals in the third period in a 6-2 victory over the Royals on Saturday night.
Victoria again played with an injury-depleted line-up with seven scratches, with an eighth added when NHL Arizona Coyotes-drafted defenceman Justin Kipkie went out in the first period and did not return.
“Our guys are heart-broken right now in that room,” said Royals head coach James Patrick, following the game.
“They put everything into it for two periods. We were hanging around the game [leading 2-1 after the second period]. How quickly it turned on us. The turning moment was Everett’s power-play goal 21 seconds into the third period [by Las Vegas Golden Knights-drafted Ben Hemmerling]. And then they get another less than a minute later. That really hurts you. We knew they were going to have a big push in the third period and we talked about how important the first five minutes were.”
Hayden Chaloner, with his first career WHL goal, and Escalus Burlock scored for Victoria in the emotive contest that featured a lot of pushing and shoving after whistles. It was the final meeting of the regular season between the clubs but they seemed to sense they may see each other again.
“That was definitely a part of it,” said Chaloner, a rookie centre whose first goal came in his 45th WHL game.
“It was a taste of it [potential playoff match-up].”
The Royals can only hope they get healthy by the post-season.
“We have big losses in the line-up of big-impact guys. Everyone needs to step up and take responsibility to fill the holes in the roster,” said Chaloner.
Dominik Rymon had two goals and two assists for third-place Everett (41-18-5).
Everett outshot Victoria 44-20 in a battle of goaltenders – Braden Holt of the Royals and Tyler Palmer of the Silvertips —who were traded for each other last season.
Victoria fell to sixth place in the Western Conference, three points behind the fourth-place Wenatchee Wild, one point behind the fifth-place Kelowna Rockets and three points ahead of the seventh-place Vancouver Giants. The Wild, Giants and Rockets all have games in hand on the Royals.
The Royals (28-27-9) have four regular-season games remaining, all at home, two against the Prince George Cougars and two against the Wild.
ICE CHIPS: Vancouver Canucks chief amateur scout Ron Delorme was at the game. Included among the players he was likely watching was Jesse Heslop of Nanaimo, a forward with the Silvertips, and ranked the 162nd North American skater for the 2024 NHL draft.
