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WHL Victoria Royals

Royals Back Home for Two Game Set against Thunderbirds

February 20, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Victoria Royals News Release


Victoria Royals centre Brayden Schuurman
Victoria Royals centre Brayden Schuurman
(Victoria Royals)

Victoria, B.C. - The Victoria Royals will begin the week at home as they host the Seattle Thunderbirds for the final two legs of a three game set that began Saturday in Kent, WA.

Victoria (15-34-5-1) will hope for a better result on home ice after dropping the first matchup against Seattle (41-9-1-1) over the weekend.

Defenceman Justin Kipkie has proved to be a bright spot for the Royals over the past few weeks and will enter Monday's contest looking to extend a three game point-streak that has seen him record one goal and three assists.

The Calgary, AB product has enjoyed a breakout season in his first full season on the Island, ranking second among all Royals defencemen and eighth on the team with 28 total points on five goals and 23 assists over 54 games.

Goaltender Braden Holt is expected to resume his starting role in net this week for Victoria. The 19-year-old has built a solid resume during his stint with the Royals this season, earning a 8-7-2-1 record with three shutouts, a 3.79 goals against average (GAA) and a .888 save percentage (SV%) over 18 appearances.

With games on back-to-back nights, we also could see backup Nicholas Cristiano make an appearance. The Langley, BC native has seen his minutes increase over the past week in both games over the weekend. He has earned a 4-10-0-0 record with a 4.23 GAA and .858 SV% over 23 total games this season.

The Royals will need to be at their best as they battle the top-ranked Thunderbirds squad that boasts talent up-and-down the lineup.

Forward Jared Davidson is just one of the many Seattle players Victoria will need to contain in order to find success.

The 20-year-old Montreal Canadiens prospect has recorded 10 points (five goals, five assists) over his last five meetings with the Royals, dating back to last season. He was able to continue that success in Saturday's contest, which saw him score a pair of goals to lead the T-Birds to victory.

The Royals will also have to contend with the league's best goaltending duo in Seattle netminders Scott Ratzlaff and Thomas Milic. Both players are expected to make appearances over the next two games.

Ratzlaff proved to be a large reason for his team's victory in their last meeting with Victoria, stopping all but one of the 24 shots he faced. The Irma, AB native has posted a 19-6-0-1 record with four shutouts, a 2.15 GAA and a .920 SV% over 26 games in 2022-2023.

Milic, meanwhile, has put up nearly identical numbers as his partner this season, earning a 20-3-1-0 record with two shutouts, a 2.27 GAA and a .919 SV% in 25 games played.

The Royals will be celebrating Family Day during Monday's game, which will have a special 2:05 pm start time at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.

Fans will be invited to skate with their favourite Royals players following the game. Attendees are welcome to bring their own skates to the rink. However, there will also be rentals available while supplies last.

Additionally, there will be a number of specials available throughout the day as part of the Family Day Celebrations, including a $100 coupon courtesy of Kal Tire that will be given out to fans following the game.

The following night, Tuesday, Feb. 21, will be Canadian Mental Health Game Night presented by RE/MAX at the SOFMC, supporting those who struggle with mental health and featuring an opening puck-drop by representatives of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA).

The organization is proudly involved in supporting the mental health of athletes across the country:

"The Canadian Mental Health Association is proud of its longstanding partnership with the Victoria Royals through the WHL Talk Today program," said CMHA BC Division CEO, Jonny Morris. "Talk Today is a mental health education program supporting athletes and their families to learn about mental health and how to support players who may be struggling or at risk of suicide."

You can learn more about the Canadian Mental Health Association in Victoria at www.victoria.cmha.bc.ca.

The first game of the week will begin at 2:05 pm on Monday, Feb. 20, while game two will have a 7:05 pm start time on Tuesday, Feb. 21. Tickets are available at selectyourtickets.com.

Players to watch:

Victoria:

#29 Teague Patton (F) - 55 GP, 40 PTS (12 G, 28 A)

#20 Alex Thacker (F) - 43 GP, 32 PTS (7 G, 25 A)

#11 Matthew Hodson (F) - 48 GP, 28 PTS (15 G, 13 A)

Seattle:

#47 Lucas Ciona (F) - 47 GP, 62 PTS (24 G, 38 A)

#11 Brad Lambert (F) - 11 GP, 17 PTS (9 G, 8 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, Group 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 centre Brayden Schuurman
Victoria Royals centre Brayden Schuurman
   



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