DUBNetwork Feature Game of the Night: October 20, 2019, Victoria Royals 3-4-1-0 @
Vancouver Giants 7-6-0-0 6:00 PM (PDT)
It’s a battle of B.C. as Brandon Cutler and the Victoria Royals make the short trip to the Langley Events Centre to face-off against Tristen Nielsen and the Vancouver Giants. Over the last five seasons, these two teams have met a total of 20 times, with Victoria absolutely dominating the head to head battle-winning 15 of those 20 games. Both teams have had an up and down start to their seasons. Victoria picked up their first win in five games Friday night, a 4-0 home victory over the Swift Current Broncos. Vancouver has been very inconsistent to start their season thus far, never winning more than two games in a row, but never losing more than two in a row.
The Giants played last night against Swift Current, where the two teams went to round nine of the shoot-out before Sergei Alkhimov scored the winner for the Giants.
Early on this season, the Royals have been led by Chestermere, AB native, third-year forward Tarun Fizer. Through eight games thus far Fizer has collected seven points, including four goals. Last year, Fizer didn’t miss a game for the Royals and he tallied 34 points in those games.
Helping Fizer up front has been the play of first-round import draft pick Keanu Derungs. From Kloten, Switzerland, Derungs has put up two goals and two assists in the Royals’ first eight games. Acquired from the Red Deer Rebels prior to the season, defenceman Jacob Herauf has been one of the anchors on the Royals’ back end. In six games this season, Herauf has three points to lead the team in defensive scoring. He was listed as day-to-day though in the latest weekly report and missed Friday’s game with Swift Current.
Kaid Oliver, another of Victoria’s top scorers, has only skated in four games this season and has put up five points, all assists. Earlier this week, defenceman Nolan Bentham was named to Hockey Canada’s Under-17 Team for the 2019 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. Currently, in his rookie season for his hometown team, Bentham has yet to register a point for the Royals but has recorded six penalty minutes in seven games.
Defending Western Conference Champions Vancouver Giants have been led by the play of second-year forward Justin Sourdif. The NHL Draft eligible forward was injured on Friday though and is unlikely to play.
Overage and import forward Milos Roman and fourth-year forward Nielsen have picked up from where they left off from last season and will try and pick up the slack. Nielsen, originally drafted by the Calgary Hitmen, came over in an early-season trade last year for James Malm. Last year in 52 games, Nielsen tied his career-high in points with 35. So far this season, Nielsen already has 11 points in 12 games including six goals. Roman, on the other hand, is coming off of a career year that saw him post career highs in all offensive categories, including scoring 27 goals and adding 33 assists.
The Calgary Flames fourth-round pick from the 2018 NHL draft also posted12 points in 22 playoff games last year for the Giants. This season the Kysucke Nove Mesto, Slovakia native has picked up nine points in 12 games including a team leading seven goals.
On the backend, Vancouver was pleased to see the return of the fourth overall selection in this summer’s NHL Draft, Colorado Avalanche prospect Bowen Byram. Last season, Byram was an absolute force throughout the year. He set a new single-season franchise record for goals by a defenceman (26). He then set a new single-season league record with six overtime winning goals. His 23 points in 22 playoff games made him the first defenceman to ever lead the WHL playoffs in scoring. Byram has played in ten games so far and has picked up ten points in those games including an impressive nine assists. Also, early this week it was announced, that for a second straight season, Byram will represent the WHL in the 2019 CIBC Canada Russia Series.
Expected in goal:
• Shane Farkas (Victoria) – Farkas is currently in his first season with the Royals where he has played six games winning two of them and posting a 3.68 GAA and a .881 SAV%. Last season with the Portland Winterhawks, Farkas posted 30 wins in 50 appearances and a 2.71 GAA and a .906 SAV% with four shut-outs.
• David Tendeck (Vancouver) – Tendeck is in his fourth full season in the WHL all with the Giants. Last year he appeared in 38 games, winning 24. Tendeck, the Arizona Coyotes sixth-round draft pick from the 2018 draft, has posted five wins in seven games this season. He has an impressive 1.86 GAA and a .933 SAV% with two shut-out in those games.
Also in action:
Medicine Hat Tigers @ Calgary Hitmen 2 pm MDT
–Egor Zamula will look to continue his eight-game point streak against Central Division rival Tigers. On the other side. Ryan Chyzowski is riding a six-game streak of his own.
Saskatoon Blades @ Winnipeg ICE 6:30 pm MDT
-16-year-old rookie defenseman Carson Lambos had two goals last night against the Blades, leading the ICE to a 4-1 win. Now the two take the ice again in Winnipeg.
