Preview | Feb. 14 | Giants @ Royals

Victoria, BC – For the eighth and final time this season the Victoria Royals will face off against the Vancouver Giants. This time, the battle will take place at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre at 7:05 PM. It’s a Valentine’s Day Clash at the Barn on Blanshard!

FIRST AS A ROYAL

Defenseman Jaren Brinson scored his first goal as a member of the Victoria Royals on Saturday against the team that drafted him into the WHL, the Prince George Cougars. Acquired on January 6th from the Regina Pats, the steady defenseman has four points in 14 games as a member of the Royals.

ROYALS LAST GAME

It was a very high scoring game between the visiting Victoria Royals and host Prince George Cougars at the CN Centre on Saturday. A pair of goals from Hunter Laing gave the Cougars an early 2-0 lead. A shorthanded goal from Reggie Newman would get the Royals on the board and cut the lead to 2-1, but goals from Zac Funk and Terik Parascak sent the Cougars to the first intermission up 4-1. The Royals scored twice on an early five-on-three in the second period thanks to Justin Kipkie and Tanner Scott, to close the deficit to 4-3. Later in the second period, Jaren Brinson’s first goal as a Victoria Royal tied the game 4-4. The Royals weren’t done yet, as late in the second Casper Evensen Haugen gave the Royals their first lead of the game, taking a 5-4 Royals lead into the third period. In the third, the Cougars pressed hard, scoring five consecutive goals with a pair from WHL Goal Scoring leader Zac Funk, completing the hat-trick, two from Borya Valis and one from Ephram McNutt to go up 9-5. In the dying seconds of the game, Ben Riche would score for the Royals, as the Cougars went on to win 9-6.

THE LAST TIME THESE TEAMS MET

VANCOUVER

These teams last faced off in a Sunday matinee game on January 28th, 2024 at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria. The two teams played a scoreless first period, keeping tensions high. It looked as though it may stay scoreless through two periods, but with three minutes left in the second period a Tyson Laventure goal gave the Royals a 1-0 lead. Teydon Trembecky would double the Royals lead, beating Giants starting goalie Brett Mirwald to put Victoria up 2-0. At the midway point of the third, Giants forward Tyson Zimmer scored to cut into the lead and make it a 2-1 game. In the final minute of the period, Connor Levis would get one past Royals goalie Braden Holt to tie the game at two. With three periods in the books, the game was tied, meaning overtime was required. It took just 15 seconds into the extra frame for Dawson Pasternak to strike for the Royals, beating Mirwald and clinching a 3-2 Royals win. Braden Holt made 30 saves for the Royals to pick up the win.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

GIANTS

• Recently named the WHL Goaltender of the Week for the third time this season, Brett Mirwald has been rock solid for the Giants between the pipes. In back-to-back games against the Seattle Thunderbirds and Wenatchee Wild, Mirwald picked up both wins, rocking a 1.50 goals against average and a .955 save percentage. The netminder has just one loss in his last seven starts, an overtime loss to the Royals the last time these teams met.
• Connor Levis, a seventh-round pick (210th overall, 2023 NHL Entry Draft) of the Winnipeg Jets, has points in three consecutive games for the Giants. Levis has put up five points over those three games, including a two-goal three-point performance against the Wenatchee Wild on Saturday.

VICTORIA

• Dawson Pasternak is the points leader on the Victoria Royals with 52 points on the season. Pasternak’s been a true jack of all trades for the Royals this season, as lately he has been playing defense instead of his usual spot as a winger. He’s fresh off a two assist performance against the Prince George Cougars.
• A fifth-round pick (161st overall, 2023 NHL Entry Draft) of the Arizona Coyotes, Justin Kipkie has been sensational for the Royals. The defenseman has doubled his career high in goals, chipping in 16 goals so far this season, while also setting new career highs in assists (28) and points (44). Kipkie had three points, including a powerplay goal on Saturday against the Cougars.

SEASON RECORDS

vs COUGARS

• Sep. 22 @ VAN • 4-1 Loss
• Oct. 27 @ VAN • 3-2 Win
• Oct. 28 v. VAN • 3-2 Loss
• Dec. 27@ VAN • 4-2 Win
• Jan. 26 @ VAN • 5-3 Loss
• Jan. 27 v. VAN • 7-6 Loss
• Jan. 28 v. VAN • 3-2 Win
• Feb. 14 v. VAN • 7:05 pm

LAST 5 GAMES

ROYALS

• 9-6 L @ Prince George (02-10-2024)
• 4-1 L @ Prince George (02-09-2024)
• 2-0 L @ Kelowna (02-07-2024)
• 5-3 L @ Seattle (02-04-2024)
• 3-2 L v. Seattle (02-02-2024)

GIANTS

• 7-2 W v. Wenatchee (02-10-2024)
• 3-1 W @ Seattle (02-09-2024)
• 4-3 W v. Everett (02-03-2024)
• 3-2 W v. Prince George (02-02-2024)
• 3-2 L @ Victoria (01-28-2024)

ROYALS UPCOMING SCHEDULE

• Feb. 16 v. KEL • 7:05 pm
• Feb. 17 v. KEL • 6:05 pm
• Feb. 19 @ KAM • 2:00 pm
• Feb. 23 v. POR • 7:05 pm
• Feb. 24 v. POR • 6:05 pm

WATCH AND LISTEN

Radio broadcast

Royals games will be broadcast on 91.3 FM the Zone this season with Marlon Martens calling all of the action.

Online video stream

All Royals games will be available on WHL Live.  WHL Live is available to fans anywhere in the world, providing high-quality streaming of WHL games on Apple TV, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV platforms, via mobile with iOS and Android, and on web using Safari or Google Chrome web browsers. Visit watch.chl.cafor complete details and subscription options.

Written by Graham Morrison