The Red Deer Rebels looked poised for a breakthrough on their tough B.C. road trip Saturday night, jumping out to a quick 2-0 lead with the game’s first two goals against the Victoria Royals at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre. But that early advantage evaporated as the Royals roared back, powered by standout four-point performances from Roan Woodward and Caleb Matthews, to secure a convincing 6-3 victory. The game carried extra significance as a special tribute to the Victoria Salmon Kings, the former ECHL team that played in Victoria from the 2004–05 season through 2010–11 before folding; the franchise, which relocated from the Baton Rouge Kingfish, ceased operations in May 2011 when its owners withdrew from the ECHL to make way for the relocation of the Chilliwack Bruins to become the Victoria Royals in the Western Hockey League, citing an inability to sustain two hockey operations in the same market. This marked the only regular-season meeting between the Rebels and Royals this year, falling as the third stop on Red Deer’s six-game western swing. The loss extended the Rebels’ skid to four straight defeats, leaving them clinging to a precarious position in the Eastern Conference standings—tied on points with Regina but technically holding the final playoff spot. They’ll have little time to dwell on it, facing a quick turnaround Sunday against the Vancouver Giants as they chase their first win of the trip.
Owen Dewitt picks up a rebound in front of the net to make it a 1-0 game at 3:23 of the first period. The assists on the goal went to Aleksey Chichkin and Jiri Kumas–Owen DeWitt scored in his second-straight game 3:23 into the game as he fired a shot from in close past Royals netminder Ethan Eskit.
Paol Andersen scores his 15th goal of the season to make it a 2-0 game for the Rebels at 4:54 of the first period. The helper on the goal went to Cameron Kuzma.–Poul Anderson scored on Red Deer’s second shot just 91 seconds later when he finished a 2-on-1 with Cameron Kuzma for his 15th goal of the year.
Calgary native Caleb Matthews gets the Royals on the board at the assists on the goal went to 20 year old former Edmonton Oil King Roan Woodward and former Wenatchee Wild defenceman Landon Young.–the Royals cut their deficit to one with a deflection goal from Caleb Matthews, assisted by Roan Woodward and Landon Young at 14:32.
Shots on goal in the first period were 9-6 for the Royals
Roan Woodward tied the game up for the Royals at 4:43 of the second period with the assist on the goal going to Caleb Matthews.–Roan Woodward notched the equalizer goal, assisted by Caleb Matthews, during a period of 4-on-4 play just before the five-minute mark of the second frame.
Roan Woodward got the go ahead goal for the Royals at 10:42 of the second period. The assists on the goal went to Sherwood Park, Alberta native Ashton Brown and Caleb Matthews.
Ashton Brown made it a 4-2 game for the Royals at 17:13 of the second period with the assists on the goal to Ludovic Perreault and Wyatt Danyleyko.—A goal from Ashton Brown off a no-look pass from Ludovic Perreault and a secondary assist from Wyatt Danyleyko in the final minutes of the frame gave the Royals a two-goal lead
Jake Missura blasts the puck from the point right off the face off to score right as the buzzer went to end the second period. They had to check on video to make sure it went in with time still on the clock, it did and that is Missura’s first WHL goal. The WHL site has the goal as unassisted as the Royals did pass him the puck.-Rebels won the ensuing face-off and Jake Missura ripped home a buzzer beater for his long-awaited first WHL goal. Victoria led 4-3 through 40 minutes.
Shots on goal in the second period were 15-10 for the Royals
Roan Woodward got his hat trick goal just 58 seconds into the third period to make it a 5-3 game. The assists on the goal went to Caleb Matthews and Odin Vauhkonen whose name sounds like a Finnish guy but is from California and is committed to Harvard.
Lino Lakes, Minnesota native Heath Nelson scored at 5:33 of the third period to make it 6-3 Royals. The assist on the goal went to the 18th overall pick in the 2024 WHL Bantam DraftLudovic Perreault and former BCHL Penticton Vee Eli McKamey
Shots on goal in the third period were 12-9 for the Rebels. The Royals outshot the Rebels 33-28 in the game.
For the Royals former Brandon Wheat King Ethan Eskit made 25 saves on the 28 shots that he faced for the win. For the Rebels Peyton Shore stopped 27 of the 33 shots that he faced.
Three Stars of the Game were 1) Ronan Woodward 2) Caleb Matthews 3) Ashton Brown
Attendance in Victoria was 5507
Rebels next game is Sunday February 1st against the Vancouver Giants in Vancouver or Langley to be more specific.
