After missing out on the postseason in the last three campaigns, the Victoria Royals will make their playoff hockey return on Friday night (March 29).
The Royals will begin the WHL’s Western Conference quarterfinal south of the border as they go up against the number-two-seeded Portland Winterhawks. Game two will go Saturday night in Oregon.
Victoria finished seventh in the B.C. Division after going 29-3-5-4 in the 68-game regular season.
The Winterhawks swept the season series with Victoria, though the Royals forced two of those four games to go beyond regulation.
The route back to the postseason saw some changing faces around the locker-room throughout the season. After breaking just above the .500 mark with 13 wins in their first 24 games, the Royals made a coaching change and brought on former NHL assistant coach James Patrick to take over as bench boss.
In-season transactions have also helped the Royals on their way to the playoffs. The team acquired Ben Riche and Dawson Pasternak in early October. Riche went on to score 31 points in 56 games with the Royals while Pasternak led the team in assists with 43, and came in second in goals after netting 24.
More recent moves saw Victoria pick up steady blueliner Jaren Brinson and veteran forward Tyson Laventure, who put up 25 points in the 19 games he’s played since being moved to the Royals in January.
One player from the capital city team was recently recognized for his contributions all season long. Just days before the playoffs were set to begin, the WHL named Royals defenceman Justin Kipke to the B.C. Division’s first all-star team. The 18-year-old from Calgary posted 16 goals and 36 assists through 67 games played.
Games three and four against Portland will be held on April 2 and 3 in Victoria at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.
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