Recap | Feb . 2 | Thunderbirds @ Royals
Victoria, BC – A night with so much meaning took over the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre on Friday night as the rink turned pink for the annual Hockey Fights Cancer game. The Victoria Royals (25-16-4-4) played host to the Seattle Thunderbirds (17-25-2-0) in their third battle of the season, and the first of a two-game weekend mini series between the two squads. Braden Holt made the start for Victoria, while Scott Ratzlaff got the nod for Seattle.
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The home crowd wouldn’t have to wait long to erupt as Tanner Scott (18) capitalized just over five minutes into the contest on a perfect back door pass from Casper Evensen Haugen. The deflection from Scott gave Ratzlaff no chance to readjust as the pass from Haugen slid perfectly past the outstretched pads and gave the Royals an early advantage.
Seattle would respond as the first frame neared its conclusion. Jordan Gustafson (3) beat Braden Holt with assistance from Bryce Pickford and Sawyer Mynio with just over five minutes to go. The late goal pulled Seattle level with Victoria as the game would go into the intermission deadlocked at ones.
Things slowed down in the middle frame as neither side could find the back of the net to grab an advantage. The lack of scoring wasn’t due to lack of effort as the teams combined for 22 shots in the second period. Braden Holt and Scott Ratzlaff kept the game at bay by making 11 saves each. The teams traded powerplay opportunities in the period with Seattle earning three chances, and Victoria heading to the man-advantage once.
Seattle would grab their first lead of the game early in the final frame as Colorado Avalanche draft-pick Jeremy Hanzel (11) entered his name onto the scoresheet with a powerplay marker just over a minute into the period. Saywer Mynio grabbed his second assist of the game while Nico Myatovic provided the secondary assist to continue his strong play since returning from injury.
It seemed as if the goal from Hanzel would prove to be the difference maker, but Victoria would find an equalizer with less than a minute to go. Tyson Laventure (22) continued his fine form as he extended his point streak to ten games. The Royals nabbed the late tally with some extra room to work with as Seattle found themselves in late penalty trouble with two men in the box. Drawing assists on the play was Cole Reschny and Dawson Pasternak. The last minute marker would force overtime, as Victoria went to the extra period for the seventh time in their last twelve games.
The extra frame saw chances on both sides including a Royals man advantage as late third period penalty to Jeremy Hanzel gave Victoria some carry over time to work with. Ratzlaff resisted the charge from Victoria which brought the game to a shootout.
Jordan Gustafson grabbed the only goal in the shootout which was enough to catapult the Thunderbirds past Victoria in a 3-2 decision.
