Royals Host Casselman Sunday In Biggest Game Of Season

Richmond in four-way tie for first place heading into weekend

The Richmond Royals head into the weekend in a four-way tie for first place in the Eastern Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Martin Division. One of the teams the Royals are tied with, the Casselman Vikings, will be in Richmond Sunday afternoon for the biggest game of the young Junior B hockey season.

The Royals’ six-game win streak was snapped Thursday night as they were edged 3-2 by the Ottawa West Golden Knights at the Barbara Ann Scott Arena.

After Sean Ireland scored in the first period for the Knights, the Royals squandered three straight power play opportunities, including a five-on-three for 1:16.

Ireland scored his second of the game in the second period to put the Golden Knights up 2-0 before Richmond’s Robbie Disilvestro stepped out of the penalty box and found himself open for a pass to beat goalie Jordan Provost for the Royals’ first goal.

Logan Bohm put the Golden Knights back up by two later in the period, as he scored from Wade Boudrias and Justin Graham.

The Royals got that one back to cut the lead to one before the end of the second period. Jaidon Genereux scored his sixth of the year from Tyler Cutts and Jackson Miller.

In the third period, the Royals took a pair of minor penalties and failed to sustain an offensive attack. They pulled the goalie with just over a minute left, and then had another two-man advantage when Adam Cater closed his hand on the puck with 32 seconds left. The tying goal eluded the Royals, and their six-game win streak was snapped.

With Richmond losing to the Golden Knights and the Ottawa Canadians beating the Casselman Vikings, the Royals, Vikings, Golden Knights and Embrun Panthers are all tied for first place with 18 points, while the Canadians are right behind with 16.

The Royals host Casselman Sunday for a 1:20 p.m. face off at the Richmond Memorial Community Centre.