VICTORIA 3 LETHBRIDGE 2
The Lethbridge Hurricanes’ 2025 NHL-draft ranked goaltender Koen Cleaver, hailing from the Island, had to have had Saturday night’s Western Hockey League game against the Victoria Royals circled on the calendar.
The 17-year-old native of Port Alberni is a 2023 World Under-17 Challenge gold medallist with Canada White and is considered one of the most promising young crease talents in the WHL.
He is having a strong season and entered the game against Victoria with a 2.85 goals-against average and .917 save percentage. But the Royals (12-6-3) beat Cleaver three times on 13 shots to take a 3-1 lead midway through the second period enroute to a 3-2 victory before 4,149 fans at VisitLethbridge.com Arena.
Royals head coach James Patrick described it as a “real gutsy effort, especially with the Hurricanes fresh and us playing last night with travel [following a 5-1 loss in Medicine Hat].”
Cleaver finished with 16 saves while Victoria netminder Spencer Michnik, also ranked for the 2025 NHL draft, was named game third star for his 33-save performance to send the Hurricanes to 12-6-1.
“I really liked the way we played in the first half of the game,” said Patrick. “We were on our heels a bit in the third period. I thought Spencer Michnik played his best game as a Royal. He was outstanding.”
That was especially so during a late Victoria penalty that allowed the ’Canes to go six-skaters-on-four at the end of the game with Cleaver pulled for the extra attacker.
“That’s about as nerve-wracking as we’ve been but [Michnik] was calm and cool,” said Patrick.
Victoria forward Teydon Trembecky was named first star for his goal and assist. The Royals other goals came on the power play through Nanaimo product Brayden Boehm and Utah HC NHL-drafted defenceman Justin Kipkie with his 100th career WHL point.
Royals forward Cole Reschny, ranked for the first round of the 2025 NHL draft, did not dress for the second consecutive game due to injury and is listed as day-to-day while veteran forward Tanner Scott is out week-to-week and veteran WHL defenceman Cosmo Wilson was also out.
“With a shortened bench and missing a lot of our key guys, we had a lot of guys step up,” said Patrick.
It was the fourth game of an eight-game road trip for Victoria, which began with respective 5-2 and 3-1 wins in Seattle and Kamloops and a 5-1 loss to Medicine Hat on Friday as the projected 2026 NHL draft top-pick Gavin McKenna scored twice for the Tigers.
The Royals continue Wednesday in Edmonton against the Oil Kings (8-9-2) and Friday in Calgary against the Hitmen (9-7-4), then in Red Deer (9-9-2) next Saturday against Rebels captain Ollie Josephson from Victoria, an NHL draft pick of the Seattle Kraken.
The tour finishes on Nov. 27 in Everett against the Silverbacks and prodigy rookie defenceman Landon DuPont, only the second player after current Chicago Blackhawks sophomore forward Connor Bedard to receive exceptional status to play in the WHL as a 15-year-old.
