Recap | Jan. 28 | Giants @ Royals
Victoria, BC – Sunday afternoon was the final game of an intense part of the 2023-24 season as the Victoria Royals (25-16-4-3) squared off with the Vancouver Giants (20-24-1-2) for the third time in as many days. The Sunday battle at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre offered an opportunity for Victoria to get back in the win column following two heart-breaking losses to the Giants on Friday and Saturday which saw their leads vanish on both occasions.
In between the pipes, it was Braden Holt getting the start for Victoria, and Brett Mirwald earning the nod for Vancouver.
Click here for the scoring summary
The first period of play was a much slower pace in comparison to what was seen the night prior as neither side was able to find the back of the net during the opening twenty. Each side had two powerplay opportunities, but both Holt and Mirwald stood tall for their respective clubs to keep the game level at zeroes. Along with the impressive goaltending, a mid-period fight took centre stage as Alex Edwards and Matthew Edwards dropped the gloves at centre ice. Vancouver and Victoria combined for a total of 32 penalty minutes in the period. Shots favoured Victoria by a 10-9 margin in the period.
It seemed as if the fans in Victoria would have to wait even longer for the opening goal of the contest as it remained scoreless until the final three minutes of play in period two. That was the moment for Tyson Laventure (21) to strike. The birthday boy knocked down a pass from Alex Edwards out of mid air, before carrying the puck over the blue line and unleashing on a snap shot that glanced off the cross bar and into the back of the net. The late second period marker from Laventure extended his lead atop the Royals goal scoring charts, and also made it nine straight games with at least one point.
That was the lone goal on the scoresheet during the middle frame as Victoria would carry a one goal advantage into the final twenty. Shots remained fairly even through two periods of play with Vancouver holding a slight 17-16 advantage.
Midway through the final frame, Victoria would strike again. This time it was Teydon Trembecky (8) deflecting the puck by Mirwald as he knocked down a Jaren Brinson shot from the blue line. The goal from Trembecky extended his point streak to three games as he earned his 14th point of the season.
Vancouver would cut the Royals lead in half just past the midway mark of the final frame. It was Saturday nights hero, Tyson Zimmer (16) getting on the board for the Giants. He was the recipient of a perfect back-door pass from Calgary Flames prospect Samuel Honzek as the big centre found Zimmer gliding to the far post with his stick on the ice, and he made no mistake in redirecting the puck by Holt.
With exactly a minute to go, the Giants would find an equalizer. Connor Levis (15) found the back of the net for fourth time in two nights as Vancouver found a way to force overtime for the second consecutive evening.
Victoria would waste no time in the extra frame as Dawson Pasternak (19) took the puck in alone and fooled Mirwald with a slick wrist shot to give Victoria the 3-2 victory.
NEXT GAME
Victoria will have a couple days to rest before they gear up for a home and home series with their Pacific Northwest rival Seattle Thunderbirds. First up will be a Friday night matchup at the SOFMC as we host our annual Pink in The Rink/Hockey Fights Cancer night on February 2nd. Puck drop is slated to take place at 7:05 PM.
