The Victoria Royals have taken the first two games of this best-of-seven, both very commanding wins to take a 2-0 series lead. Teydon Trembecky‘s five-point night was the big difference for the Royals tonight. The series is starting to look bleak for the Americans.

Tri-City started off the game right with numerous scoring opportunities. One being a two-on-one, but Jake Sloan shot it right into the chest of Johnny Hicks. Just before the second media timeout, Smith leading the breakout was high-sticked by Nolan Stewart. The Americans would look to get their first power play goal of the series, however, the Americans weren’t able to even get a shot on net.

Nolan Stewart would then get the game’s opening goal fresh out of the box for Victoria at 16:15. Stewart turned with the puck along the left-wing boards and skated along the point before turning again and firing a long shot from the point through traffic that snuck past Matecha and in.

Following the first period, Victoria had a 1-0 lead and were out shooting the Americans 11-8. Both teams were scoreless on their power play opportunities, and the Americans would enter the second in search of their first goal of the series still. Off the rush just, 90 seconds into the second period, Kenta Isogai would get his first goal of the postseason and make it 2-0 Royals. Isogai on the right wing halted and started cutting to the middle before quickly firing a shot, using Zemlak as a shield. Matecha picked up the shot late and the puck went glove side and in.

Colorado Avalanche prospect Max Curran of Tri-City then had the opportunity of a lifetime to open scoring for Tri-City just shortly after the Isogai goal. Jake Sloan off the rush with a two-on-one fired it off Hicks leaving a wide-open rebound uncontested. Curran whiffed on the puck, and it was a circumstance in which Curran would have probably scored nine out of ten times. Victoria would not take long to capitalize once again and make it 3-0 following Curran’s error.

The puck bounced around in the Americans corner before it was centered by Cosmo Wilson. Reschny out net-front was able to just get a piece of it and flick it over Matecha’s shoulder and in. This forced Stu Barnes to burn his only thirty-second timeout to try and gather the troops on the Americans bench just 4:24 into the second. Tri-City would get their second chance on the power play and with much thanks to Captain Jake Sloan, got their first goal of the playoffs as the timeout seemed to pay off.

Curran at the point launched a shot that was initially saved by Hicks, but as Jake Sloan was knocked down to the ice right in front of the net, he was able to nudge the puck past Hicks. Victoria answered back with a power play goal of their own at 14:45 after a Carter Savage hooking penalty. Isogai at the right wing fired a shot that was tipped at the last moment by Teydon Trembecky net-front up and over Matecha to make it 4-1.

The Americans offence had started to brew, adding their second goal of the night, also on the power play. Smith slid a pass over to Curran at the right circle. Curran then wired a one-timer on net, and the rebound bounced around net-front. Virk attempted a shot that was blocked before Brandon Whynott swooped in and lifted one over the sprawled-out Johnny Hicks for his second career playoff goal.

That would conclude a chaotic second period that saw five power-play opportunities for both teams combined in the second. Victoria held the 4-2 lead though and would enter the third period with 17 seconds left on a power play.

The final period was delayed for a few minutes as there was way too much water still on the ice, as Royals players were asked to skate around in their end by the refs to maybe speed up the process, eventually, the third period would get underway. Just over halfway through the third, Keaton Verhoeff would restore the Royals three-goal lead and seal game two for Victoria.

Reschny down low held the puck before quickly centering the puck to Rookie Defenseman Keaton Verhoeff, who launched an absolute screamer of a one-timer past Matecha, making it 5-2 for his first career playoff goal.

The Americans had one more opportunity late to give Victoria something to think about, a two-minute five-on-three chance, but they did not capitalise. Cole Reschny for Victoria then got the puck and threw it into an empty net to make it 6-2.

With Victoria up 2-0 in the series, the series now shifts to the Toyota Center, where the Americans will host the next three games, the third, if necessary, which would require a Tri-City win on Tuesday or Wednesday.

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