The Victoria Royals end the first half of the season by splitting a two-game series after a 6-5 loss to the Tri-City Americans.
Bailey Peach continued his leadership role this evening with the team missing nine players in their lineup. Tonight, the 20-year-old scored two goals and one assist and has so far earned 27 points throughout the month of December. Peach has been hot ever since the middle of November and has been a driving force in Victoria’s success so far. In an unusual manner, he also earned six penalty minutes this evening, one being a four-minute minor for high-sticking.
Alongside Peach’s two goals, the Royals had multiple players on the score card tonight. Reggie Newman collected his first CHL goal for the second goal of the game while Riley Gannon and Evan Patrician each scored on the power play to add to the Royals tally of five goals within the first 40 minutes of play.
Royals defencemen Jason Spizawka and Gannon Laroque each earned two assists in tonight’s contest. Laroque, a San Jose draft pick, leads the Victoria defence with 17 assists so far this year.
The Royals power play and penalty kill were at work tonight with six penalties and five power plays. The team only let in one power play goal towards the end of the game and were able to score two power play goals, a feat which the team has worked hard on in recent weeks.
It was an offensive showdown between the two teams tonight with 11 goals scored overall. Tyler Palmer was in net for the Royals this evening. After letting in two goals early in the first, he seemed to settle into his net. The Fernie native let in two more goals, a minute a part in the later half of the second and two more in the third in the Royals 6-5 loss.
Tri-City managed to score six goals, two in each period, that secured their win this evening.
GM and Head Coach Dan Price was incredibly proud of his team’s performance tonight, acknowledging their exhaustion and reflecting on the incredible roller coaster season they’ve had so far.
“They emptied their tanks and gave everything they had tonight. As always, I’m really proud of the effort,” said Price. “It was a great game. The chances were even, the special teams were even, the o-zone times were even as well. It was a really good game between two really good teams. I’m really proud of our guys to push like that and make a game out of it despite all the fatigue and a depleted roster.”
The Royals now have a week off for Christmas break and return on December 27th to play Vancouver in Langley. The next home games for the team are also against Vancouver on the 29th and 30th of December. December 28th is Way Back Wednesday where the Royals take fans back to the 80’s followed by the Royals Go Green Game presented by Dunder Mifflin on the 30th.
