Haden’s pair helps Royals roast Thunderbirds

The Victoria Royals handed Seattle area hockey fans a plate of burned turkey.

The Royals defeated the Thunderbirds 4-2 in a WHL game on the eve of American

Thanksgiving that drew a large crowd of 6,039 to the ShoWare Center in Kent, Washington.

The Royals (12-8-1) have won six of their last seven games. Seattle (7-13-3), going the other direction, has lost eight of its last 10 games.

“I thought it was a solid win and we rolled four lines,” said Royals head coach Dan Price.

“Seattle scored early [Matthew

Rempe one minute and 24 seconds into the game] and got the crowd energized,” added Price.

“But we stayed calm and responded [at 4:23 of the first period through a goal by rookie Swiss import Keanu Derungs]. That shows the maturity of our group. Near the end of the game, meanwhile, discipline was the key and helped us close it out.”

Two second-period goals by

Gary Haden staked Victoria to a 3-2 lead with his fifth and sixth of the season. That’s exactly what the 20-year-old forward, a 31-goal scorer last season for the Saskatoon Blades, was brought in to do.

Derungs goal in the first period was his sixth of the season. Tarun Fizer sealed the deal with his Royals team-leading eighth goal, into an empty net in the third period. Defenceman Mitchell

Prowse had three assists.

Shane Farkas made 24 saves in goal for Victoria and Roddy Ross 36 for Seattle.

The Royals continue their three-game U.S. Division road swing through Washington state on Friday night in Kennewick against the Tri-City Americans and Saturday night in Spokane against the Chiefs.