Preview | Mar. 8 | Royals @ Silvertips

Everett, WA – It’s time for the final road game of the WHL regular season for the Victoria Royals. Wrapping up their four game road trip, the Royals find themselves in Everett, Washington to face the Silvertips. Puck drop is set for 7:05 pm at the Angel of the Winds Arena, in Everett, Washington.

CLINCHED

For the first time since 2019, playoff hockey is coming to Victoria. With the Tri-City Americans losing 6-1 to the Kelowna Rockets on Wednesday, the Victoria Royals have clinched a spot in the WHL playoffs. The Royals are currently fifth place in the WHL’s Western Conference, and would play the fourth seed Wenatchee Wild if the playoffs started today.

ROYALS LAST GAME

Earlier this week, on Tuesday night, the Royals visited the Spokane Chiefs. The Royals got on the board first in this one, when Cole Reschny (21) scored on the powerplay to put Victoria up 1-0. Back-to-back goals for the Chiefs from Lukas Kral (6) and Berkly Catton (46) put the Chiefs ahead 2-1 midway through the first period. Late in the first, Casper Evensen Haugen (14) struck on the powerplay. Early in the second period, the Chiefs would take a 3-2 lead on a goal from Chase Bertholet (22). The Royals would tie the game once again on the powerplay as Casper Evensen Haugen (15) nabbed his second of the game. The Chiefs would add a powerplay marker of their own from Brayden Crampton (8), taking a 4-3 lead into the third period. In the third, Berkly Catton (47, 48) would complete the hat-trick, capping off a five point night for Spokane, as the Chiefs powered through to a 6-3 win.

THE LAST TIME THESE TEAMS MET

EVERETT

On October 13th, the Everett Silvertips made the trip to Victoria to face the Royals. Just over a minute into the game, the Silvertips earned a 1-0 lead from a Rylan Pearce (1) goal. Ben Hemmerling (1) would double the lead later in the first, as the Silvertips entered the first intermission up 2-0. In the second period, the Silvertips would get two more goals, from Jesse Heslop (1) and Eric Jamieson (1) to take a 4-0 lead into the final period. Ben Hemmerling (2) would add his second of the game early in the third to take a commanding 5-0 lead. Dawson Pasternak’s (1) first goal as a member of the Victoria Royals made it a 5-1 game, but the Silvertips weren’t finished yet. Everett would add three more goals, with Ben Hemmerling (3) finishing his hat-trick, Dominik Rymon (5) and Cade Zaplitny (4) scoring, as Everett won 8-1.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

SILVERTIPS

• Everett Silvertips leading scorer Ben Hemmerling had a hat-trick his last time out against the Royals. A sixth-round pick (177th overall, 2022 NHL Entry Draft) of the Vegas Golden Knights, Hemmerling has 26 goals and 82 points in 60 games this season.
• Finnish forward Julius Miettinen is having a fantastic first year in the WHL. In his rookie year, the 18-year-old has 27 goals and 27 assists for 54 points in 60 games for Everett. Miettinen is currently on a four game point streak where he’s produced five goals and eight points.

VICTORIA

• The powerplay quarterback for the Victoria Royals, Justin Kipkie, is fresh off a three assist game against the Spokane Chiefs. This season, Kipkie has 16 goals and 50 points through 61 games which is tied for seventh most by defensemen in the WHL.
• Casper Evensen Haugen is fresh off a three point night against the Spokane Chiefs. He now has three goals and five points over his last two games. 20 of his 30 points this season have come after January 19th. The Royals drafted Haugen with the ninth overall pick in the 2023 CHL Import Draft

SEASON RECORDS

vs EVERETT

• Sep. 23 @ EVT • 5-3 L
• Oct. 13 VS EVT • 8-1 L
• Mar. 8 @ EVT • 7:05 PM
• Mar. 9 v. EVT • 6:05 PM

LAST 5 GAMES

ROYALS

• 6-3 L @ Spokane (03-05-2024)
• 5-4 OTL @ Portland (03-02-2024)
• 6-4 W @ Tri-City (03-01-2024)
• 5-2 L v. Portland (02-24-2024)
• 6-2 L v. Portland (02-23-2024)

SILVERTIPS

• 5-3 W v. Regina (03-02-2024)
• 8-7 L v. Moose Jaw (03-1-2024)
• 3-1 W @ Seattle (02-24-2024)
• 4-0 W v. Portland (02-18-2024)
• 4-3 L v. Seattle (02-17-2024)

ROYALS UPCOMING SCHEDULE

• 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
• Mar. 22 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