They got a point out of the deal, but the Victoria Royals’ winning streak is over.
The visiting Tri City Americans got a late power play goal from Michael Rasmussen in the third period to tie the game 4-4, then Dylan Coghlan bagged his second of the game just 1:12 into overtime to lift the Americans to a 5-4 Western Hockey League victory on Wednesday at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.
The game had a markedly different flavour than the previous night’s contest, won 8-2 by the Royals.
The teams entered the third period tied 1-1 and the final frame saw Tri City erase Victoria leads three different times.
The Royals’ Regan Nagy sandwiched a shorthanded goal and a power play marker around a goal from Tri City’s Jordan Topping to make it 3-2 Victoria by the 6:54 mark, but Connor Bouchard tied it up again for the Americans at 11:23.
Igor Martynov notched his fourth of the season for Victoria about a minute later and the locals looked to hang on for their eight consecutive win. It was not to be, however, as Rasmussen finished off a passing play from Coghlan and Jordan Topping with 1:03 to go as Royals star Matthew Phillips served a delay of game penalty.
The Tri City trio combined on the winning goal as well, which also came on the power play due to Chaz Redekopp taking a high sticking minor penalty with 13 seconds left in the third.
Phillips scored Victoria other goal on the power play midway through the second period.
Griffen Outhouse stopped 41 of 46 shots for the Royals, while Beck Warm kicked out 23 of 26 Royals shots. Tri City scored on three of its seven power plays, while Victoria countered with two man advantage goals in five opportunities.
Victoria heads to Spokane for a Friday night game against the Chiefs, then plays in Kent, Wash. against Seattle the next night. The Royals’ then head out on a four-game prairie road trip before returning home Oct. 28 for a game against the Vancouver Giants.
