Teydon Trembecky scored with a half-minute left in the third period, to lift the Victoria Royals to a thrilling 4-3 win over the Spokane Chiefs in Game 3 of their Western Hockey League (WHL) second-round playoff series.
The winning goal capped a four-point night for Trembecky, who had three goals and an assist, helping the Royals take a 2-1 series lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference semi-final.
The Royals making a change in the crease prior to game 3, with Jayden Kraus starting in goal for the first time in the 2025 playoffs. His only other action coming off the bench in the Royals 6-4 loss to the Tri-City Americans in Game 4 of the opening round. Johnny Hicks had started each previous playoff game, and made 40 saves in Victoria’s 5-1 victory in Game 2 Monday, in Spokane. The Royals didn’t say why the goalie change was made.
Trembecky opened the scoring just shy of the mid-way mark of the first period, finishing a pass from Cole Reschny for his fourth goal of the playoffs. Then on a Royals power play, Reschny appeared to send a pass towards the Chiefs goal, that bounced off a Spokane defender’s stick and into the net. Reschny’s seventh of the playoffs gave the Royals a 2-0 lead for the third straight game in the series. 54 seconds later, Trembecky scored again, and for the second straight game the Royals jumped out to a 3-0 lead.
The Chiefs Andrew Cristall scored late in the first to cut the Royals lead to two. It stayed 3-1 until nearly seven minutes into the third period when Cristall, a 2023 second round draft pick by the Washington Capitals, scored again, making it 3-2 Victoria. Then with 4:53 to go in regulation time, the Chiefs Chase Harrington scored on a rebound and tied the game at 3.
But with 1:21 to play in the third, the Chiefs Will McIsaac was called for a high-sticking penalty, putting the Royals on the power play. The Royals would capitalize, with Trembecky notching his third goal of the night, and fourth point. Reschny drew an assist, which was his fourth point of the game, with a goal and three helpers.
The Royals held on for a 4-3 win, and take a 2-1 series lead.
The Chiefs out-shot the Royals 49-33, with Kraus turning aside 46 shots.
Game 4 of the series is Friday night at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria.
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