The Victoria Royals are off to a perfect start in their first-round playoff series, and Saturday night’s win was proof that the intensity is only ramping up.
Backed by a five-point night from Teydon Trembecky and another strong performance in net from Johnny Hicks, the Royals topped the Tri-City Americans 6–2 in front of 4,900 fans at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
The win gives Victoria a 2–0 lead in the best-of-seven series as it shifts to Kennewick, Washington for Games 3 and 4, and if needed, game 5.
The building was buzzing right from puck drop—thanks in part to the return of hype man Crazy P—and so was the ice.
Both teams came out flying, with the Americans pressing early and outshooting Victoria in the opening half of the first period. But it was the Royals who struck first, as rookie Nolan Stewart buried a pass from Cosmo Wilson and Hayden Moore to give the home side a 1–0 lead late in the period.
The Americans showed some frustration as the frame wound down, and it only got worse from there.
The second period was easily the most action-packed stretch of the series so far. Just 90 seconds in, Kenta Isogai doubled Victoria’s lead, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
Less than three minutes later, Cole Reschny extended the advantage to 3–0, forcing Tri-City to call a timeout to regroup. The Americans got on the board with a power play goal at 6:57, snapping Hicks’ playoff shutout streak at over 88 minutes.
That only seemed to spark the Royals more.
Midway through the frame, Trembecky capitalized on the power play with a laser to make it 4–1, before Tri-City answered back with another power play marker of their own just under two minutes later. The period saw goals, penalties, and rising physicality, giving the game a real playoff feel as both teams fought for control.
The third period started with a delay due to ice issues, and Victoria had to kill off several penalties—including a stretch where they were down 5-on-3. But it was the Royals who would have the last laugh. Keaton Verhoeff restored the three-goal cushion with a beauty at 11:03, and Reschny sealed the deal with a shorthanded empty-netter late in the period.
Reschny finished the night with two goals and an assist, while Hicks stopped 29 of 31 shots in his second straight start. The Royals went 1-for-4 on the power play, while the Americans went 2-for-7.
With the win, the Royals now have a commanding 2–0 lead as the series shifts south.
Game 3 is set for Tuesday, April 1st at the Toyota Center in Tri-City, with puck drop at 7:05 p.m. Game 4 will follow the next night.
If this game was any indication, things are just getting started.
