As the Western Hockey League regular season enters its final stretch, the Victoria Royals are gearing up for a critical run of games that could determine whether they return to the playoffs.
With the standings tightening across the Western Conference, every point matters.
The Royals currently sit just outside the playoff picture and are in the middle of a crucial road trip that could ultimately determine their fate.
Victoria faces the Thunderbirds in Seattle, with puck drop scheduled for 7:05 p.m. on Tuesday, March 10th.
The matchup carries enormous implications for both teams.
Seattle currently holds the final playoff spot in the conference and sits just one point ahead of Victoria in the standings. With the two clubs facing off directly, even a single point from the game could swing the race.
In fact, once the final horn sounds in Seattle, the result will officially eliminate the Vancouver Giants from playoff contention.
Following tonight’s game, the Royals will then head to Kelowna for another meeting with the Rockets as they look to rebound from a difficult outing earlier this week.
On March 7th in Kelowna, the two teams combined for more than 75 shots on goal in a fast-paced game at Prospera Place, but the Rockets pulled away with a 9–2 victory. Victoria will be hoping for a much different result as they attempt to collect valuable points down the stretch.
Once the road trip concludes, the Royals will return to home ice for four of their final games of the season at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre — all of which carry playoff implications.
The first comes Friday, March 13th when Victoria hosts the Giants at 7:05 p.m. for Indigenous Celebration Night. Although Vancouver will be officially eliminated by that point, the Giants could still play spoiler against a Royals team desperate for points.
The two clubs will meet again the following night in Langley.
Victoria will then return home Tuesday, March 17th for St. Patrick’s Party Night, when the Royals face the Western Conference-leading Everett Silvertips. Everett has been dominant this season, already surpassing the 100-point mark with an incredible 107 points and just seven losses on the year. Puck drop is set for 7:05 p.m.
The regular season will wrap up with a weekend home stand against the Prince George Cougars.
Victoria hosts Prince George on Friday, March 20th at 7:05 p.m. for Women in Sport Night, followed by the final game of the season on Saturday, March 21st at 6:05 p.m. for Fan Appreciation Night. The Cougars have already secured a playoff berth and currently sit fourth in the conference standings, meaning the Royals will again be facing a strong opponent as they attempt to secure their own spot.
Offensively, the Royals have been led this season by forward Roan Woodward, who sits atop the team scoring list with 54 points, including a team-leading 31 goals. Hayden Moore follows with 47 points, while Nolan Stewart and Timofei Runtsov have also provided key contributions offensively.
Between the pipes, goaltender Ethan Eskit has been a steady presence, posting a 3.03 goals-against average, a .903 save percentage, and 22 wins this season.
With the regular season winding down and the playoff race tightening, the Royals know there is little margin for error. The coming days will determine whether Victoria can climb back into the postseason picture.
For fans, the final home stand will be a chance to watch the Royals make their playoff push on home ice, with every game carrying major importance as the regular season winds down.
Grab your tickets today!
