Vancouver has leaned well into the post-Bowen Byram era. Even without the Canadian world junior gold medallist, now a rookie blueliner in the NHL with the Colorado Avalanche, the Giants returned a boat load of players and are 6-3 in the 24-game B.C. Division season. Veterans Alex Kannok Leipert, a Washington Capitals NHL draft pick, Tristan Nielsen and third-round Florida Panthers draft pick Justin Sourdif led Vancouver with a goal and assist each to snap a two-game losing skid and send Victoria to its fourth consecutive defeat. “Vancouver was more physical and I want our guys to take pride in being more physical going ahead,” said Victoria head coach Dan Price.
(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.
Forward Brayden Schuurman leads B.C. Division rookies in scoring with five points on three goals and two assists. Gannon Laroque with three points on a goal and two assists and Jason Spizawka and Kalem Parker with three assists each are tied for second place in B.C. Division rookie scoring and are also tied for the lead in scoring by rookie defencemen in the division. In addition, Victoria rookie goaltender Connor Martin has been a revelation. “The rookies are doing a great job versus older competition and are playing lots of minutes and important minutes,” said Victoria GM and head coach Dan Price. “They are getting better and closer every day. You can feel the increased confidence day-to-day and game-to-game.”
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“It’s important to stay aggressive. I’m not afraid to make a hit or take one if I have to,” said Schuurman. It’s that attitude that has carried a mid-level fourth round bantam draft pick from 2019 into this position he rose to captain Team B.C. at the 2019 WHL Under16 Cup and one that should have Royals fans attuned to his progress on Blanshard Street in the seasons ahead. The five-foot-nine, 180 pounder out of Yale Hockey Academy in the Fraser Valley has a non-stop motor. In his 2019-20 season in U-18 for Yale, Schuurman had 40 points in 34 games and five points in five playoff games. The Royals would be more than happy if he performs at that roughly point-a-game-clip in his WHL career.