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WHL Victoria Royals

Royals Back Home for Two Game Set against Division Rival Rockets

January 13, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Victoria Royals News Release


Victoria Royals right wing Marcus Almquist
Victoria Royals right wing Marcus Almquist
(Victoria Royals)

Victoria, B.C. - The Victoria Royals will return home for the first time in 2023 as they host the Kelowna Rockets for a two game set this Friday and Saturday night at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.

Victoria (10-25-3-1) have won two of three to start the new year and have pulled within five points of a playoff spot after posting seven victories over their last 12 contests. A pair of wins over Kelowna-who sit one spot above the Royals in the standings-this weekend would vault them back into the playoff picture.

General Manager and Head Coach Dan Price emphasized the importance of a balanced attack as a key to victory this weekend:

"Kelowna plays a very structured game," said Price. They're very physical, very well organized, Kris [Malette, Rockets Head Coach] does a great job of that...That means the speed of our puck movement, of our transition, becomes critical. It means trying to avoid situations where we're under forechecking pressure by moving the puck, it means maintaining possession in the offensive zone and it means staying disciplined."

The Royals and Rockets have met five times this year, with Victoria taking three to Kelowna's two. Their most recent meeting took place on Jan. 3 in Kelowna, where the Royals emerged with a 4-2 victory.

Several players have stood out for the team during their recent turn-around, including 20-year-old forward Riley Gannon who has posted five points (one goal, four assists) over his last three games and 10 total points (four goals, six assists) over his last 10 contests.

In addition to his offensive contributions, the Nanaimo native remains one of the most versatile players in the Victoria lineup, regularly seeing time on both the powerplay and penalty kill and remains a strong leadership presence in the dressing room. His totals for the year stand at 10 goals and 14 assists for 24 total points in 39 games.

Victoria will also benefit from the season debut of 2022 CHL Import pick Robin Sapousek, who is expected to be in the lineup for the first time this weekend. The 18-year-old recently appeared for Team Czechia at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championships, where he helped them to a silver medal finish.

Goaltender Braden Holt is expected to resume starting duties in net for the Royals this weekend, however, with back-to-back games on the schedule this weekend we could also see backup Nichaolas Cristiano make an appearance should Holt need some rest.

The 19-year-old Holt has been fantastic for the Royals since arriving from Everett late last month, posting a 3-0-0-1 record with a 1.96 goals against average (GAA) and a .941 save percentage (SV%) in four starts for the club. In total, the Bozeman, MT product has amassed a 16-13-1-1 record with a 3.35 GAA and a .898 SV% in 32 appearances for the Silvertips and Royals in 2022-2023.

While Victoria has generated noticeable momentum over the last six weeks, Kelowna (13-21-3-1) presents a great challenge for the club. The Rockets are a team with an abundance of talent throughout their roster, including 2023 NHL Draft hopeful Andrew Cristall who sits behind only Connor Bedard for the league lead in scoring, registering 62 points (26 goals, 36 assists) in 36 games.

Additionally, goaltender Jari Kykkanen has shown well against the Royals in the past, and holds a 4-1-0-0 all-time record with two career shutouts against Victoria.

Kykkanen's cumulative record for 2022-2023 stands at 6-7-2-0 with a 3.31 GAA and a .904 SV% in 16 games played.

Talyn Boyko is the other option in net for Kelowna and has made the majority of starts for the club this season. The New York Rangers prospect has earned a 7-13-1-0 record with a 3.68 GAA and a .904 SV% in 22 appearances this year.

It is set to be a very special weekend in Victoria as the team celebrates Lunar New Year with specially designed uniforms that will be worn during Saturday's contest.

The jerseys feature symbols and iconography of Chinese culture associated with the Lunar New Year, and are styled in the lucky colours of red and gold alongside the usual Royals home white.

The game is being sponsored by Fancy Ching Wealth Management, who will be making donations of $10,000 to both the Victoria Chinese Public School and Big Brothers and Sisters at the game.

An online auction will also be held to give fans a chance to purchase the one-of-a-kind Lunar New Year jerseys. All proceeds from the auction will go to support the Victoria Chinese Public School. Bidding has now opened and will conclude on Jan. 21 at 11:45 pm.

The first game of the weekend is set to get underway at 7:05 pm on Friday, Jan. 13, while game two is set for 6:05 pm the following night, Saturday, Jan. 14 at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre. Tickets to both games are available at selectyourtickets.com.

Players to watch:

Victoria:

#34 Jake Poole (F) - 37 GP, 40 PTS (22 G, 18 A)

#29 Teague Patton (F) - 39 GP, 26 PTS (8 G, 18 A)

#8 Kalem Parker (D) - 39 GP, 23 PTS (4 G, 19 A)

Kelowna:

#22 Gabriel Szturc (F) - 27 GP, 37 PTS (10 G, 27 A)

#4 Caden Price (D) - 37 GP, 22 PTS (5 G, 17 A)

Follow the Royals on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, TikTok and visit victoriaroyals.com to find out more about ticket sales and to learn the latest news about the team.

Get Your Ticket Packs Now

Multiple ticket packages are available for purchase, including a Family Pack, VictoriaNow Family Section, Vizzy Section and Molson Ice Seats. Call our ticket office at 250-220-7889, send an email to tickets@victoriaroyals.com or visit our website to learn more victoriaroyals.com/ticket-promos.

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Victoria Royals right wing Marcus Almquist
Victoria Royals right wing Marcus Almquist
   

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