Preview | Mar. 5 | Royals @ Chiefs

Spokane, WA – Following a pair of games over the weekend, the Royals’ U.S. road trip continues as they find themselves in Spokane for a game against the Chiefs. Puck drop is set for 7:05 PM at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena.

FIRST FOR VERHOEFF

15-year-old Defenseman Keaton Verhoeff picked up his first career WHL point on Saturday against the Portland Winterhawks. Verhoeff assisted on Tyson Laventure’s first period goal. The Royals drafted Verhoeff with the fourth overall pick in the first round of the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft.

WHL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

For the second time this season, Royals centre Cole Reschny is the WHL Rookie of the Week. In two games, Reschny produced three goals and five points against the Tri-City Americans and Portland Winterhawks. This season Reschny has 20 goals and 52 points through 54 games which is sixth most amongst rookie scoring in the WHL. Reschny’s 2023-24 season point total is the most by any 16-year-old in Royals history.

PLAYOFF CLINCHING SCENARIOS

As the WHL regular season moves towards its end, eyes begin to shift towards the postseason. Currently sitting fifth in the WHL’s Western Conference, the Victoria Royals are on the cusp of clinching a playoff spot. In order to clinch, the Royals need just a single point, meaning a Royals win or an overtime/shootout loss tonight in Spokane will secure their place in the playoffs. If the playoffs started today, the Royals would face the #4 seed Wenatchee Wild in the first round.

ROYALS LAST GAME

Saturday night the Royals paid the high-flying Portland Winterhawks a visit at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Oregon. Braden Holt got the start in net for the Royals while Jan Spunar started for the Winterhawks. Six minutes into the game, Josh Zakreski (18) gave Portland a 1-0 lead. The Royals would tie it up on a goal from Tyson Laventure (27) which featured Royals prospect Keaton Verhoeff getting his first career point on an assist. In the final minute of the first period, Cole Reschny (19) put the Royals ahead 2-1. In the second period, the Winterhawks fired 16 shots at Braden Holt, but neither team could find a goal, so the game entered the third period with the Royals up 2-1. Early in the third, Casper Evensen Haugen (13) doubled the Royals lead. The Winterhawks would storm back with two goals in 41 seconds from Josh Zakreski (19) and Jack O’Brien (20) to tie the game 3-3. The game wouldn’t stay tied for long, as a minute later Cole Reschny (20) would score his second of the game putting the Royals back ahead 4-3. With five minutes left in the third, Marcus Nguyen (20) scored on a short-handed breakaway to tie the game 4-4. This one required overtime, where James Stefan (42) scored to give the Winterhawks a 5-4 win.

THE LAST TIME THESE TEAMS MET

SPOKANE

The Royals last saw the Spokane Chiefs on November 25th, in Spokane. In the first period, the Chiefs got goals from Coco Armstrong (2) and Conner Roulette (17) to give them a 2-0 lead through one period. Early in the second, the Royals got on the board courtesy of Reggie Newman (6). The Chiefs would strike right back with an Owen Martin (6) goal. Late in the period, Spokane would score two goals in 13 seconds, both by Rasmus Ekstrom (3, 4) to take a 5-1 lead into the third period. In the third, goals from Carter Streek (2), Coco Armstrong (3) and Cole Wadsworth (3), helped the Chiefs cruise to an 8-1 win.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

CHIEFS

• The former first overall pick in the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft, Berkly Catton has been dynamic for the Spokane Chiefs. Catton has 45 goals and 98 points through 59 games this season. The red hot Catton is riding a 13-game-point streak in which he has scored 12 goals and 23 points.
• Just like Catton, Conner Roulette is also riding a 13-game-point streak, during which the winger has 7 goals and 23 points. A fourth-round draft pick (111th overall, 2021 NHL Entry Draft) of the Dallas Stars, Roulette has 38 goals and 90 points in 59 games this season.

VICTORIA

• Acquired at the WHL trade deadline, Tyson Laventure has fit like a glove on a line with Cole Reschny and Dawson Pasternak. Since the trade, Laventure has 12 goals and 24 points in 18 games for the Royals. He’s riding a five-game-point streak where he has scored four goals and eight points.
• Casper Evensen Haugen has settled in and stepped his game up over the second half of the season. 17 of his 27 points this season have come after January 19th. Drafted by the Royals with the ninth overall pick in the 2023 CHL Import Draft, Haugen is coming off a two-point night against the Winterhawks.

SEASON RECORDS

vs SPOKANE

• Oct. 20 VS SPO • 5-4 W
• Oct. 21 VS SPO • 4-3 W
• Nov. 25 @ SPO • 8-1 L
• Mar. 5 @ SPO • 7:05 PM

LAST 5 GAMES

ROYALS

• 5-4 OTL v. Portland (03-02-2024)
• 6-4 W v. Tri-City (03-01-2024)
• 5-2 L v. Portland (02-24-2024)
• 6-2 L v. Portland (02-23-2024)
• 3-1 L @ Kamloops (02-19-2024)

CHIEFS

• 5-4 L @ Prince George (03-02-2024)
• 5-4 W @ Prince George (03-1-2024)
• 5-2 L @ Kamloops (02-28-2024)
• 12-3 L v. Moose Jaw (02-24-2024)
• 5-2 W v. Regina (02-23-2024)

ROYALS UPCOMING SCHEDULE

• Mar. 08 @ EVT • 7:05 pm
• Mar. 09 v. EVT • 6:05 pm
• Mar. 15 v. PG • 7:05 pm
• Mar. 16 v. PG • 6:05 pm
• Mar. 20 v. WEN • 7:05 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.ca for complete details and subscription options.

Written by Graham Morrison