Royals Rally for the Overime Win
Wenatchee, WA. – The Victoria Royals kicked off their first US road swing of the season, taking on the Wenatchee Wild tonight at Town Toyota Center. After the teams marked a combined 72 shots in 60 regulation minutes, the Royals overcame the Wild’s near-comeback to take the 5-4 win in overtime.
The Royals struck first with a goal from Miles Cooper, assisted by Heath Nelson and Mykola Kosarev, at 14:39 of the first period. Cooper’s goal comes in his first game back in Wenatchee since coming to the Royals in a trade with the Wild last month, and Kosarev’s assist marks his first career point in his WHL debut after being drafted by the Royals in the 2025 CHL Import Draft. The teams traded power plays through the first, but neither team could score on the man advantage and the Royals led 1-0 after 20 minutes of play.
Hayden Moore extended the Royals’ lead with a powerplay goal, assisted by Roan Woodward, around the nine-minute mark of the second period. Maddix McCagherty got the Wild on the board at 13:18 of the frame to cut the Wild’s deficit to one. In the final two minutes of the period, Roan Woodward notched his fifth power-play goal of the season, assisted by Hayden Moore and Reggie Newman, to bring the score to 3-1 for the Royals headed into the second intermission.
The Wild marked their second goal of the game from Luka Shcherbyna while the teams were playing 4-on-4 at 3:10 of the third period. Miles Cooper’s second goal of the night came just before the halfway mark of the frame, assisted by Ashton Brown and Heath Nelson, to give the Royals the 4-2 lead. The Wild responded quickly with a goal from Josh Fluker to bring the game back within one, and they knotted the game in the final four minutes of the frame with a goal from Caelan Joudrey. Though unable to regain the lead in regulation, the Royals killed a crucial late-period penalty to hold the game at a tie and force the game into overtime.
Hayden Moore netted his second goal of the night at 1:22 of the overtime frame to secure the Royals’ 5-4 win.
Scoring Summary
1st Period
14:39 Victoria Royals Goal
Miles Cooper (3) assisted by Heath Nelson and Mykola Kosarev
2nd Period
8:55 Victoria Royals Goal
Hayden Moore (2) assisted by Roan Woodward
13:18 Wenatchee Wild Goal
Maddix McCagherty (1) assisted by Boston Tait and Blake Vanek
18:13 Victoria Royals Goal
Roan Woodward (6) assisted by Hayden Moore and Reggie Newman
3rd Period
3:10 Wenatchee Wild Goal
Luka Shcherbyna (3) assisted by Shaun Rios
9:53 Victoria Royals Goal
Miles Cooper (4) assisted by Ashton Brown and Heath Nelson
10:52 Wenatchee Wild Goal
Josh Fluker (1) assisted by Mason Kraft and Boston Tait
16:17 Wenatchee Wild Goal Caelan Joudrey (1) assisted by Blake Vanek
Overtime
1:22 Victoria Royals Goal
Hayden Moore (3) unassisted
Shots on Goal
Royals – 40
Wild – 33
Powerplay
Royals – 2/8
Wild – 0/3
Goalie Stats
Royals
Ethan Eskit – 29/33
Wild
Cal Conway – 35/40
What’s Next
Continuing their US road trip, the Royals will face the Everett Silvertips tomorrow night at Angel of the Winds Arena, with puck drop set for 6:05 PM. The team will be back home next Friday, October 10th at 7:05 PM and Saturday, October 11th at 4:05 PM to host the Silvertips in a double-header at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
