Royals open road swing before Pink in the Rink Night at home
The Royals are on the road to Tri-City and Spokane this week before returning home to host the Portland Winterhawks in a double header this weekend. With playoffs in sight this is a big week for the Royals as the team looks to pick up points in tight standings with the Tri-City American’s and the Seattle Thunderbirds.
Friday Night is Tech Night and the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre presented by the Victoria Data Society. Tech vendors will be set up in the concourse and the results of the Hackathon taking place in the comfort lounge from 9-3:00pm will be shared in game.
Saturday night marks the Royals’ annual Pink in the Rink Night at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre, presented by Mayfair Optometric Clinic. The Royals will don specialty pink jerseys that are now live for auction, with all proceeds benefiting the Canadian Cancer Society’s Vancouver Island Lodge in addition to 50/50 proceeds raised. The Victoria Royals have set a fundraising goal of $8,000 in support of the Vancouver Island Lodge, helping fund the essential programs and services they provide, visit the fundraising page to donate.
Fans can look forward to in several meaningful activations throughout the arena, including a dedication wall to honour loved ones impacted by cancer, Hockey Fights Cancer toques available for purchase in the team store, special in-game tributes, a ceremonial puck drop, and the return of the pink rink boards.
Team Matchup
Tri-City
The Tri-City Americans (25-26-3-1) are a crucial opponent for the royals in the final stretch of the season. The Americans are right behind the Royals in the Western Conference standings and will be hungry for a win this week. The Americans specialize in low-scoring, defensive focused hockey. The Royals are 1-2 against Tri-Cities this season and will look to even the score this week.
Spokane
Another important late-season competitor, the Spokane Chiefs (29-26-1-0). The Chiefs enter this week fresh off a 6-1 win over Vancouver and sit sixth in the Western Conference, two spots above Victoria. The Royals have won just one of three meetings with Spokane this season, with all three games decided by less than two goals.
Portland
The Winterhawks (26-25-5-1) are within arm’s reach of the Royals in the standings, and a couple of strong showings from Victoria this week could see them leapfrog Portland for the number seven spot in the conference. The Hawks second-lowest penalty kill percentage in the West could be something for the Royals to take advantage of in their back-to-back matchups this weekend. Victoria will look to keep their undefeated streak against Portland going in their third meeting of the season.
Players to Watch
Victoria
Timofei Runtso – fresh off a WHL Prospects Game appearance, in which he got on the scoresheet with an assist for Team West. The 18-year-old defenceman has five points in his last six games, and is continuing an impressive season ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft.
Tri-Cities
Cruz Pavao – With a goal and an assist in his most recent game against Everett, Pavao is fourth on the Americans in points and third in goals. A first-round pick of the Americans in 2023, Pavao’s third season in the WHL has been his best, collecting 35 points over 51 games.
Spokane
Tyus Sparks – The pride of Meridian, Idaho, Tyus Sparks was drafted eighth overall in the 2023 U.S. priority draft by the Vancouver Giants and traded to Spokane earlier this season. Sparks has a habit of striking first, with half of his goals being the first goal of the game. Sparks has thrived since joining the Chiefs, and has been held pointless in just one of his last nine games.
Portland
Ryan Miller – this Winterhawks winger is in the midst of his fourth season in the Western Hockey League following a fifth-round selection in the 2025 NHL Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins. Miller makes light work of opponents along the boards and in the offensive zone and has the second-most points for Portland, racking up 23 goals and 38 assists this season.
What’s Next
After the double-header at home, the Royals are off to interior B.C. to face Kamloops and Kelowna next weekend.
