Royals Turn a Page in December
The Victoria Royals are starting to find their groove as they move into December, stringing along some of their best games of the year so far. The team hasn’t lost in regulation in eight games and has defeated the Vancouver Giants, Seattle Thunderbirds and Everett Silvertips among others. The Royals have gone to overtime in five straight games and have ended up with a win in every contest but one. For a team that had a slow start, Victoria is finding the net, winning games and taking charge.
One of the things that has helped the Royals recently has been the return of their captain, Tarun Fizer. So far this year, he’s tallied five goals and five assists in eight games, including a standout performance against Spokane where he scored a hat trick and added an assist on the power play. Fizer’s ability to score in any scenario was on full display, as two of his goals came from shorthanded breakaways. His impact has also been felt down the whole lineup, with Victoria going 5-1-2 since he returned.
Fizer is also one of three Royals enjoying a six-game point streak right now, with the others being Gannon Laroque and Bailey Peach. The consistent success and scoring of their star players has definitely been a factor during this current streak of good play for Victoria. 17-year-old Brayden Schuurman was also on a five-game point streak before being held off the sheet in the win against Portland last weekend.
Another part of the game that’s been critical for the Royals during these last few matchups has been the goaltending. Fernie native Tyler Palmer has picked up four wins in his last four starts with his last loss coming in overtime after saving 39 of 42 shots against the Kamloops Blazers. Palmer has been very dependable all year and in the 13 games he’s started, he’s only had a save percentage under .900 three times. With the offence beginning to heat up, the wins will pile up if Palmer can continue this strong play.
Campbell Arnold has also been making a difference for the team when called upon as well. He has made some incredible saves like the diving save with the paddle of his stick when Victoria was down one goal in the third period against Spokane. Statistics don’t always show the entire picture and without that save, getting the game into overtime and securing at least one point would have been much less likely. Arnold was also very solid in the team’s most recent win against Portland, where he made 48 saves on 52 shots.
The WHL season is a long one and Victoria has many reasons to be optimistic about the future in the upcoming months. The goal scoring is beginning to ramp up and the goaltending is staying as solid as ever. With a recipe like that, it’s no surprise to see the wins starting to come as well. Now, it’s about keeping the momentum they gained during their weeklong trip to the States and rolling on through the season.
