WHL Playoffs: Victoria Royals score 3 power play goals, beat Spokane Chiefs 5-1 in Game 2

For the second game in a row the Spokane Chiefs found themselves down 2-0 to the Victoria Royals midway through the second period. Unlike Sunday’s come-from-behind victory, the Chiefs did not score the next goal – or complete the comeback. 

Despite being outshot 41-21, the Royals scored three power play goals and pulled away from the Chiefs 5-1 at the Arena on Monday to even the Western Conference semifinals at one game apiece. 

Victoria goalie Johnny Hicks made 40 saves.

The series now shifts to Victoria’s Memorial Arena for the next three games. Game 3 is Wednesday at 7:05 p.m.

“(Victoria) kind of ran away with it there at the end,” Chiefs captain Berkly Catton said. “They had a really hot goalie tonight, and credit to him, but we’re gonna get on the bus and the ferry tomorrow, and learn from this one and move on. … It’s just all about forgetting these last two games and it’s a whole new game, a whole new series. It’s best-of-five now, that’s kind of the way we’re looking at it.”

“It’s a good learning lesson for us,” Chiefs coach Brad Lauer said. “(Victoria) wanted to get one in our barn, and they played a good game. I didn’t think we played the type of game we needed to play. But in saying that, (Victoria) played a good game. We’ve got to regroup and go down there and win a couple games.”

The Chiefs looked strong through the first 14 minutes of the first period, but a bad goal against changed the complexion of the game. The shot differential looks impressive, but many of the Chiefs shots came from distance and without traffic in front of the net.

“We came out hot,” defenseman Brayden Crampton said. “We knew (Victoria) was going to push and we knew we had to come out hot. Obviously, pucks weren’t going our way. We’ve gotta do a better job of getting to the net.”

“We’re just not getting to those areas, ” Lauer said. “We’re a ‘shot volume’ team. …We were getting the pucks going there, but we’re not paying the price to get bodies there right now. And it happens. It’s just one of those games where you’ve got to learn and move on and get ready for the next game.”

There was a little bit of intrigue before things got started. Just 9 minutes before puck drop the team announced that rookie Carter Esler would start in goal, not previously announced Dawson Cowan. 

Cowan played all 90 minutes, 35 seconds of Sunday’s double-overtime win in Game 1. According to a team representative, Cowan sustained an undisclosed injury during warmups leading to the goalie change. Cowan dressed as the backup and Lauer said he’d be good to go for Game 3.

Esler, 16, played in 18 games during the regular season with a 3.23 goals against average and .894 save percentage.

“I thought (Esler) made some good saves for us at the right times,” Lauer said. “I think some of the areas we didn’t do a good enough job in taking away those second, third opportunities.”

“(Esler) has had our backs all year. He’s a solid goaltender,” Crampton said. “He always brings his game, but we’ve got to do a better job in front of him and help him out a little bit.”

Esler made several quality stops through the first period, but with 5:49 left in the period a systemic breakdown led to the game’s first goal. Catton couldn’t handle a backhand pass from Shea Van Olm in the center of the ice in the neutral zone and defenseman Will McIsaac was beaten to the loose puck at the blue line, resulting in Victoria’s odd-man rush the other way.

Royals center Cole Reschny held the puck, waited for Saige Weinstein to leave his feet then hit Kenta Isogai sliding through the slot. With Catton trailing, Isogai made a forehand-backhand move and tucked it underneath Esler for his fourth goal of the playoffs. 

It was the sixth time in seven playoff games the Chiefs surrendered the game’s first goal.

The Chiefs were awarded a power play early in the second when Weinstein was tripped behind the Spokane goal but came up empty.

A few minutes later, Weinstein was called for checking to the head, and Victoria took no time in making the Chiefs pay. Just 12 seconds into the power play defenseman Justin Kipkie’s blast from the point beat Esler for his second goal of the postseason and a 2-0 lead. 

With 9:24 left in the period McIsaac was sent off for tripping. The announcer wasn’t quite done reading the penalty when Markus Loponen made it 3-0 with his third goal of the playoffs.

“Their power play took over,” Lauer said. “And you know, they’re dangerous. They’ve been one of the top power play teams in the league. I think they got three tonight. And ours didn’t do much.”

The Chiefs finally got on the board with 28 seconds left in the period as a blast from the point by Nathan Mayes was tipped by Catton for his fifth goal of the playoffs. 

But momentum didn’t carry over to the third.

Weinstein was called for high-sticking 6 minutes into the period and for the third time in the game Victoria tallied on the power play, with Brayden Boehm picking up his third of the postseason. 

Victoria made it 5-1 a little later on Reggie Newman’s first goal of the playoffs. 

The Chiefs went 0 for 4 on the power play. Esler finished with 16 saves.

“We weren’t going to win this four straight. I mean, that team’s too good over there,” Lauer said. “That’s one thing that we have to understand, is that this wasn’t going to be a four-game series. Probably not going to be a five-game series. It could go to the distance with the two type of clubs that are here. It’s disappointing to lose Game 2, but it’s a good lesson to learn. We’re a team that is still maturing, but we’ll rebound from this.”