Royals hunt for playoff position in Kamloops

KAMLOOPS 6 VICTORIA 2

The Victoria Royals, down a head coach and five players to flu-like symptons or injuries, were pretty much skating on fumes Friday night in Kamloops.

And it probably showed in a 6-2 loss to the Blazers (40-23-6).

“Our number of players was substantially reduced, and we tasked a lot of guys, but our compete level was good,” said Royals assistant coach Dan Price, who took over the bench from ailing head coach Dave Lowry, who was back in his hotel room because of flu symptoms. “A few mental errors cost us.” The rough and tumble affair had three fights.

“We pushed back and stuck up for each other,” said Price.

With four games remaining, it is almost certain the seventhseed Royals (37-26-5) are destined to meet the conference second seed in the first round of the playoffs. Among those possible five opponents are the Blazers. And also the Rockets, who the Royals play tonight in Kelowna, and the Everett Silvertips, who the Royals close out against with two games next weekend. In between is a game Tuesday in Langley against the Vancouver Giants, who will miss the playoffs.

Matthew Phillips and Blake Bargar scored for the Royals before 3,851 fans at the Sandman Centre. It was the 48th goal for Calgary Flames prospect Phillips, already the single-season record holder for the most scored in the six seasons the Royals have played in Victoria. Phillips is stalking the Chilliwack Bruins/Victoria Royals all-time franchise record of 51, held by former Bruins forward Ryan Howse.

Connor Ingram, who played on Canada’s silver-medallist team at the 2017 world junior championship, made 29 saves for Kamloops. Griffen Outhouse made 32 saves for Victoria and Dylan Myskiw, who played the final 7:33, two saves.