At least they have a new video scoreboard
The Royals’ slide continued with three straight losses last week, one to Calgary and two to the Kelowna Rockets.
Last Week
The Royals have now lost 12 of their last 13 and are sliding down the standings. They currently hold the eighth and final playoff spot but won’t for much longer at this pace.
Tuesday saw the Royals drop 9-3 to the Calgary Hitmen with Chase Clayton recording a hat trick. Nelson Logan had all three goals for Victoria.
Last Friday the Royals played host to the Rockets and lost 5-2. Kelowna blueliner Myles Bell had two goals and an assist.
The two teams played again on Saturday and again the Royals lost, this time in a shootout 4-3. Winger Mike Forsyth popped home the goal in the third that sent this to overtime.
This Week
The Royals play their next six on the road, starting Friday in Regina and Saturday in Brandon, where Kevin Sundher will face his old team.
The Regina Pats sit 5th in the East currently and are currently deciding whether or not to deal North Vancouver native Jordan Weal before Tuesday’s trade deadline.
The Wheat Kings meanwhile made a strong push to challenge for the Eastern Conference crown with the acquisition of Kevin Sundher. They currently sit 8th.
News & Notes
Kevin Sundher was indeed sent to Brandon for a package of defenceman Jordan Fransoo, Dakota Conroy and a first round pick in the 2012 Bantam Draft.
State of the Royals
Sundher leaves the time as the franchise’s all-time point scoring leader.
Defenceman Jesse Pauls has announced his retirement from hockey. He never recovered from a severe broken leg suffered last year.
The Royals also unveiled their brand new jumbotron last week. It features four LED screens fed by five different in-house cameras. It cost somewhere in the range of half a million to a million.
In the Community
The Victoria Royals have announced the launch of their very own Kid’s Club. For just $25, kids under the age of 12 can get a ticket to an upcoming game, a Kid’s Club Card, a T-shirt, and other giveaways.
Player Spotlight
The Royals Tip-Top Tailor Made Player of the Month for December was winger Zane Jones.
Zane had six goals and three assists in 11 games last month including four goals in four games.
The power forward has 18 points and 40 penalty minutes on the year so far.
Next Game
The Royals will attempt to stop the bleeding and solidify their playoff chances Friday in Regina. The Pats may or may not have Weal in the line-up and the Royals will sure hope they don’t.
It’s the end of the Kevin Sundher era for the Victoria Royals, but the start of a brand new chapter.
About Richard Hodges
