The fading final shards of light from the last evening of summer were still evident at game time through the north side restaurant windows of Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre on Friday. The Victoria Royals hope to still be playing when the days get longer again deep into next spring.
That quest began with the Western Hockey League regular-season opening game played at a breakneck pace before 5,001 lively fans at the Memorial Centre. The two cornerstone players of the Royals’ future combined for the winning goal in overtime as Victoria beat the Tri-City Americans 5-4. The 2025 NHL draft first-round projected Cole Reschny found touted rookie defenceman Keaton Verhoeff for the winner.
“We couldn’t have done it without the help of these fans in the stands,” said Verhoeff, who recorded his first two career WHL goals on the night.
“There’s more work to do,” added the young blue-liner, who plays well beyond his years.
The season account was opened, rather fittingly, by fifth-year Victoria forward Tanner Scott, at 9:47 of the first period. If anyone on this team deserves to be called Mr. Royal, it’s Scott, named an assistant captain along with defenceman Cosmo Wilson and Reschny. (The Royals have yet to appoint a captain).
Rookie Czech-import Simon Pohludka scored his first WHL goal at 11:44 to make it 2-0. The first visitors’ goal of the season went to Brandon Whynott of the Americans at 4:46 of the second period. Logan Pickford restored the two goal lead for Victoria at 5:26 on a puck recovery behind the Tri-City net and sharp pass out by Vaughn Watterodt. Jake Sloan and Whynott second’s goal, the latter on the power play, pulled Tri-City level before the end of the middle period.
Cruz Pavao, on a play Royals fans thought should have been whistled down due to an uncalled elbowing penalty, put the Amerks ahead in the third period. Verhoeff, with his first WHL goal, tied it 4-4 in the third.
Victoria’s power play was disjointed in going 0-6. Tri-City was 1-4.
Both goaltenders were good on busy nights with Tri-City’s Lukas Matecha facing 50 shots and Victoria’s Jayden Kraus 42.
Both teams were missing players away at NHL training camps among the 134 from the WHL attending, the Americans with six and Royals with five.
The teams meet again Saturday night at 6 in the Memorial Centre.
ICE CHIPS: The newly-installed flashing lights on the glass stanchions surrounding the rink, courtesy of the Victoria Hockey Legacy Society, are a snazzy addition this season. … Former Royals defenceman Austin Zemlak, who had an assist, received a video tribute and warm ovation during the first period. … Provincial sports minister Lana Popham and former NHLer from Victoria, Matt Pettinger, dropped the ceremonial opening puck of the season. … A moment of silence was held before the game in remembrance of the tragic recent passing of the late hockey-playing brothers, NHLer Johnny and former ECHLer Matthew Gaudreau, both out of Boston College.
