Royals’ comeback comes up short
Noah Gregor took the long route to meet up with his new teammates on Tuesday afternoon.
Flying from Regina to Edmonton for an overnight at home Monday in Beaumont — located just minutes away from the Edmonton International Airport — it was onward to Vancouver on Tuesday and eventually to Prince George where he hooked up with the Victoria Royals.
Secured in a trade on Monday afternoon, the former Moose Jaw Warrior was in the lineup as the Royals dropped a 5-4 Western Hockey League decision to the host Cougars at the CN Centre. It followed Sunday’s come-from-behind 5-4 overtime win for Victoria.
Gregor, a draft pick of the San Jose Sharks, had plenty of life, despite all the travel.
“It can be a little tough, but we’re all hockey players. We feel the most comfortable on the ice so once I get out there it will all be good,” he told Royals play-by-play man Marlon Martens before the game.
Just like Sunday, the Royals fell behind early, recovered to tie it in the third, but couldn’t complete this comeback this time.
Gregor — wearing No. 22 — displayed his patented speed as he drew onto the starting forward line, on the left wing along with centreman Eric Florchuk and right-winger Dino Kambeitz. He was pointless, but not for a lack of trying. He did finish minus-2, however.
“He was excellent. He’s a great addition to the team,” Royals head coach Dan Price said of Gregor’s debut. “He had a few nice plays that almost went for goals.”
Expected to be an impact player for the Royals (the team which originally drafted him 55th overall in 2013), Gregor set up Kambeitz late in the first period, but he was turned aside by Cougars netminder Tavin Grant.
Vladislav Mikhalchuk — who will represent Belarus at the upcoming world junior hockey championship, along with Victoria’s Igor Martynov — and Ryan Schoettler gave the Cougars a 2-0 lead on goals 47 seconds apart midway through the first period.
Schoettler’s goal came via a power play as Gregor was handed a cross-checking minor just as Mikhalchuk scored at 11:01. Schoettler then made it 3-0 seven minutes into the second period as the game took a similar tone to Sunday’s affair when the Royals also fell behind 3-0 after 40 minutes.
Martynov, Kambeitz, Tyler Soy (power play) and Kaid Oliver all scored goals — along with Prince George’s Cole Moberg — over a 2:42 span early in the third period and the comeback looked like it was back on at 4-4. But Max Kryski ended that hope at 14:24 of the third for P.G.
Price opted to start backup goaltender Dean McNabb, and after stopping Jared Bethune with a pad save on a breakaway early in the game, the Davidson, Sask., product allowed five goals on just 25 shots while Grant made 41 saves for the Cougars.