The Brandon Wheat Kings and Victoria Royals battled like it was a playoff game. With both teams needing a win to get back on track, the level of intensity was high.
In the end, Victoria was able to fend off the Wheat Kings and give the home crowd of 4,703 their money’s worth. “It really felt like a playoff game,” said Royals Head Coach Dan Price post-game. “We were talking in the room and usually we only see that within conference or division play. Typically, it’s not always that way between the conferences but tonight it was just a flat-out war. I was really proud of both teams including Brandon.”
In what is becoming a reoccurring theme, Kaid Oliver was the game’s first star with two goals including the game winner. Oliver continues to hustle and be rewarded with ice time in all situations.
“It comes back to how hard Oliver works defensively,” said Price. “He’s one of our best defensive players, one of our best guys on faceoffs. He works so hard away from the puck, plays honest, and plays a physical pro-style game. When you’re doing those kinds of things, you tend to have the puck more and then you’re awarded offensively.” With line mates D-Jay Jerome and Igor Martynov, they continue to have great opportunities and looked strong Saturday versus Brandon.
“Everyone played well as a team tonight,” recalled Oliver post-game. “We were buzzing. Today the guys were excited to get to the rink and wanting it back after the last couple of performances.”
Griffen Outhouse returned to the lineup after not playing in Victoria’s last three games and showed no ill-effects from the absence. Outhouse was back to making athletic saves and kept his team in the fight. In particular in the second period where there was a large shot differential for Brandon, the Victoria goalie had to be sharp. When asked if Outhouse’s return was a key to the victory, Price felt it was the continued team effort. “Griffen is a very calming presence, but the first thing is our guys played really well in front of him. You saw the shot block, (Sean) Gulka laid down and (Dino) Kambeitz took one in the head, broke his helmet. Guys doing anything to win for Griff.”
The game was sealed for Victoria when Ralph Jarratt fired a long shot the length the ice into the empty net with less than 30 seconds to go. The Royals had Oliver in the penalty box, on a hooking call that was marginal at best. However, with no chance for icing, the Brandon net became a target for Jarratt. “It was just a turn and fire,” said Jarratt. “I had no pressure to ice it. It would have just killed a little time but luckily it went in.” Asked if he was happy to see the insurance goal go in while sitting in the box, Oliver said “I was jumping up and down. I was pumped.”
The game was surprisingly physical for a matchup with an out of conference team. Both clubs finished their checks and did not back down, starting with a Brandon Cutler and Jonny Lambos fight early in the first period. With forwards Dante Hannoun, Phillips Schultz and Logan Doust out with injuries, the Royals continued to rely on the next player stepping up. “We have guys that know what it takes to win,” said Jarratt. “With the new guys coming in tonight, the guys really stepped up tonight.”
Sean Gulka played after just re-joining Victoria earlier this week, adding a couple of big shot blocks in the third period. Tyus Gent and played well after drawing into the lineup, as he laid a solid check on a Brandon player.
The Wheat Kings looked dangerous at times, especially their star Stelio Mattheos. With line mate Luka Burzan, they proved a handful for Victoria to keep in check. Mattheos opened the scoring with a power play goal and had many other chances in the game but could not beat Outhouse.
Brandon is now winless in four, and have yet to taste victory on their lengthy road trip west. They will continue to battle through the B.C. Division with games in Vancouver, Prince George, Kamloops and Kelowna. It’s nice tour of the province, but tough games ahead for Brandon.
For Victoria, the schedule doesn’t get any easier as they now travel south to face the Portland Winterhawks. The Winterhawks have played inconsistent hockey so far this season, but always seem to find a way to get up to play the Royals.
