The Victoria Royals have punched their ticket to the 2025 Western Hockey League playoffs for the second consecutive year.
Victoria saw their four-year playoff drought come to an end last season, earning a spot in the post-season for the first time since 2018-19.
After winning seven of their last 10 games, the Royals are in the midst of one of their most productive seasons in franchise history, boasting a .652 winning percentage through 56 games played (32-15-3-6), their highest percentage in nearly a decade.
To this point, the Royals have been one of the stingiest teams in the WHL, giving up 159 goals, which is the third-fewest in the league.
Now, with 12 games to go, Victoria chases their highest point total since the team earned the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy, racking up 106 points during the 2015-16 season.
Victoria sits atop the B.C. Division, and the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, with 73 points, as they gear up for a weekend double-header with the Prince George Cougars.
Leading the offensively for the Royals is 17-year-old, 2025 NHL Draft-eligible forward Cole Reschny.
In 51 games played, the sophomore has already eclipsed his rookie season numbers, producing 77 points, which puts him in a tie for the ninth most points in the WHL. His point total is the most by any 17-year-old in Royals' history, surpassing Matthew Phillips' 76-point total from the 2015-16 season.
Reschny has garnered league-wide recognition in his draft-eligible season, with NHL Central Scouting listing him 34th among North American skaters in their mid-term rankings. The product of Macklin, Sask. will look to become the highest Royal ever drafted, with Steven Hodges (84th overall) holding that title since 2012.
Speaking of history, 19-year-old captain Justin Kipkie recently etched his name into the Royals' history books, becoming the all-time goal-scoring leader for defencemen. The Utah Hockey Club prospect surpassed Royals' icon, Joe Hicketts, with his 35th career WHL goal on Feb. 7 against the Tri City Americans.
While Reschny and Kipkie have continued their success in Victoria, the Royals bolstered their lineup prior to the trade deadline, acquiring two 20-year-old forwards, Kenta Isogai from the Wenatchee Wild, and Brandon Lisowsky from the Saskatoon Blades.
Both have made immediate impacts with the club, producing at more than a point-per-game pace in their 20 games played.
Victoria also added Teneesse State University commit Johnny Hicks to help backstop the crease.
The 19-year-old netminder from Kamloops spent the past four seasons in the BCHL, as he split time with the Merritt Centennials and most recently, the Brooks Bandits.
Since arriving in Victoria, Hicks has suited up in seven games, winning five, and posting a 2.29 goals against average.
With a playoff spot locked up, the Royals shift their focus to securing home-ice advantage and clinching the B.C. division title. Victoria's next test will be the Cougars on Friday, which will kickstart a crucial seven-game homestand, before finishing the season with five consecutive games on the road.
