Credit: Keith Dwiggins

By Marlon Martens

Victoria's Mindset Heading into Playoffs

Royals Face Winterhawks in Round 1

Mar 24, 2024 | 12:04 AM

“Number one, the biggest thing come playoff time is enjoy the experience, have fun, embrace it and try to rise up to the challenge…” – HC James Patrick

The Victoria Royals will face the Portland Winterhawks in the opening round of the post season, beginning on the road Friday and Saturday night, before switching to Victoria for games three and four Tuesday and Wednesday, and if necessary game five, which would be played on the Island as well, in a 2-3-2 set to minimize travel.

The last time the Royals qualified for the playoffs was 2020, their last playoff game was in 2019.  Victoria last faced Portland in the post season 10 years ago, 2014. The Winterhawks earned the decision in that series, punching their ticket to the Conference Finals and eventually falling to the Edmonton Oil Kings in the WHL Championship.

This year in the four game season series, the Royals held a record of 0-2-1-1, earning points in overtime and shoot out losses.  Most recently a 5-4 overtime loss in Portland on March 2nd.

Season Series:

Schwartz & Perreault Selected in Round 1

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May 09, 2024

Royals Defenseman Ranked 89th By NHL CSS

Misskey Looks Towards The NHL Draft

Apr 16, 2024

Royals Top Rookie Reflects & Looks Ahead

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Apr 08, 2024

Victoria 4 @ Portland 5 (Mar 2 2024) Final OT
Portland 5 @ Victoria 2 (Feb 24 2024) Final
Portland 6 @ Victoria 2 (Feb 23 2024) Final
Victoria 3 @ Portland 4 (Nov 22 2023) Final SO

WCQF Schedule:
Game 1 | March 29 | Victoria @ Portland | 7:00 PM | Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Game 2 | March 30 | Victoria @ Portland | 6:00 PM | Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Game 3 | April 2 | Portland @ Victoria | 7:05 PM | Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre
Game 4 | April 3 | Portland @ Victoria | 7:05 PM | Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre
Game 5* | April 5 | Portland @ Victoria | 7:05 PM | Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre
Game 6* | April 7 | Victoria @ Portland | 5:05 PM | Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Game 7* | April 9 | Victoria @ Portland | 7:00 PM | Veterans Memorial Coliseum
*If necessary

TRIVIA: Who’s played the most WHL playoff games in Royals history? Scroll to the bottom to find out, but try and guess who you think it is first!

Only 4 Royals have post season experience, Ben Riche with Moose Jaw, netminder Braden Holt with Everett, and Tyson Laventure has twice been to the dance, accumulating 8 games with Lethbridge, while Jaren Brinson and his Prince George Cougars were swept in an opening round series against the Winterhawks in his 17 year old season.

James Patrick has played in 117 NHL playoff games, and knows what the younger players are going through having been there once himself.

“There can be some nerves, there will be butterflies, but I feel we want to enjoy this experience, this ride together – it starts with that.”

Holt understands the younger players will be leaning on them to show the way.

“The guys in the room are going look to the older guys to drive the compete and battle factor. So we’re really going to have to lead by example here, and the rest of guys will follow.

“That’s how we’re going to win games and win series just by out working the other team, we can win games if we work harder and are tenacious on pucks, work hard in both net fronts.”

Holt knows that the second season is unlike games one through 68.

“Playoffs are a different beast, the games are way more physical. There’s no friends out there. You have to have pure hatred for the other team, and it’s a long series too. You can win a game 10-0, or lose by the same score and it’s just on to the next game, it’s about the score in the series.

“So it’s important that we just come in waves, just keep battling, shift by shift…It’s just going to be the collective effort, and really important to be consistent in our efforts.”

While Pasternak has yet to play a single WHL playoff game, he draws from his USHL experience with the Chicago Steel, capturing the Clark Cup, playing alongside the likes of Adam Fantilli, Owen Power and Josh Doan.

‘It’s going to matter how hard we’re working and what we can do on the ice because, we have a team that can really surprise any opponent we play, as long as we really stick to our systems hard and we play the right way and work hard every day.”

Pasternak was asked if there were any benefits to starting a series on the road,

“If we can take one from them in their rink, it’s pretty big. The first two games are always really important and if we can kill some of their momentum right away, and bring it back here and try to take control.”

Laventure agrees, that the regular season and the playoffs are not alike.

“It’s a completely different beast in the playoffs. It’s you versus the team that you’re playing against every night fighting for your lives. So unlike the regular season, where you’re building up points for the rest of the year, every game is huge.

“It’s going to be a battle and a lot of guys are really going to really have to elevate their game here, as everyone does in the playoffs.

RoyalsFAN asked Laventure about the clubs fine tuning, and if it was honed in before the final game of the regular season,

“I don’t think we’re quite there yet, we still have some room to work on things. We’re trying to get into that playoff mindset and we’re focusing in on more of the details, playing harder and everything we have to do to be successful in the playoffs…Hopefully we’ll have it all aired out by the playoffs.”

Patrick has been to the Stanley Cup final and knows what it takes to get a team to gel, and what needs to click to have success.

“It’s about really playing our systems, focus on the process and stick together.”

The graduating players are fully set on giving it there all, in one last opportunity to make lasting memories, including a much appreciative Holt,

“We have such a great group of guys here and I wouldn’t want to finish my career with any other team or any other group of guys. I’m very thankful to be here, it’s been one heck of a ride and I’m really excited to put our best foot forward here in the playoffs.”

TRIVIA ANSWER:

Ralph Jarratt has played the most playoff games for the Royals with 46, just eclipsing Tyler Soy’s 45.

How the 2 teams match up