(Rookie Connor Martin faced the barrage in Friday’s game).
The Royals have the youngest team in the WHL. That was further exacerbated by having four veterans out of the line-up. Victoria captain Tarun Fizer, import and Swiss junior national team forward Keanu Derungs, forward Riley Gannon and defenceman Noah Lamb were missing. Fizer, Derungs and Lamb are day-to-day. The Royals revealed Sunday that Gannon is out for the season after an injury in Friday’s game.
The Royals could muster only 10 forwards to dress on Sunday, which was the team’s fourth game in six days.
It didn’t help to be facing a potent Kamloops squad that features Calgary Flames first-round NHL draft pick Connor Zary and New York Rangers-goaltending prospect Dylan Garand of Langford, projected 2021 second- or third-round NHL draft pick Logan Stankoven and dangerous 20-year-old Orrin Centazzo.