What to do with such rude hosts?
The Victoria Royals travelled more than eight hours by ferry and bus only to be shown the door almost as soon as they arrived at the Toyota Center in Kennewick, Washington.
The Tri-City Americans led 3-0 just six minutes and 28 seconds in, and 4-0 after the first period, en route to a 7-1 Western Hockey League victory on Wednesday.
“The team was not ready to play and that’s my responsibility, 100 per cent,” said Royals head coach Dan Price.
“In the pre-game meetings, I thought the mental preparation and focus was there, but it wasn’t.”
Tri-City’s power play was 3-6.
“We got in penalty trouble early,” said Price.
“You can’t go in the box three times in the first period and hope to win that period. We were not disciplined. And when you are not, you lose concentration. Being ready to play and disciplined are important lessons to learn.”
The Royals were 9-2 heading into the contest and had scored four or more goals in every game during that 11-game stretch. But it didn’t take the Americans (26-16-7) long to display their almost-scary potential as they picked up points for the sixth consecutive game.
Overage Tri-City forward Jordan Topping of Salt Spring Island recorded a hat-trick and now has 29 goals. Another Island player, Las Vegas Golden Knights-signed defenceman Dylan Coghlan of Nanaimo, added three assists for the Americans.
First-round NHL draft pick Michael Rasmussen, taken ninth overall by the Red Wings in 2017, had a goal and two assists while third-round Carolina Hurricanes selection Morgan Geekie a goal and three assists.
Royals goaltender Griffen Outhouse allowed six goals on 31 shots through two periods before Dean McNabb allowed a goal on six shots in the third. Beck Warm faced 29 Royals shots.
Victoria’s vaunted offence, second in the league in goals scored, was held in check by a Tri-City blue line that includes Coghlan and NHL first-round draft picks Juuso Valimaki and Jake Bean. The lone Royals goal, his 11th of the season, came in the third period from defenceman Jared Freadrich on the power play. Victoria captain Matthew Phillips picked up an assist to extend his points streak to 12 games.
Missing for the Royals for an undisclosed reason was St. Louis Blues-signed forward Tanner Kaspick. Price said he expects Kaspick back in the lineup when the Royals (30-18-4) return to Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre to play Medicine Hat on Friday.
