Kelowna, B.C.- Top 2025 NHL Draft-eligible centreman Cole Reschny had two goals and an assist as the Victoria Royals stormed back for a 5-3 win against the Kelowna Rockets in the penultimate Wednesday Night in the Dub match of the season.
The win sees Victoria (39-17-3-7) jump the Prince George Cougars to re-take the B.C. Division lead with two games left on the regular season schedule.
Despite being eliminated from playoff contention, the Rockets gave the Royals all they could handle through the first half of the night.
Nashville Predators prospect Hiroki Gojsic broke the ice early in the second period as he buried the puck off of a long bounce off the boards for his 20th goal of the season.
2025 NHL Draft-eligible forwards Dawson Gerwing (NHL CSS: 135) and Hayden Paupanakis (NHL CSS: 48) picked up the assists.
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The Rockets stayed in the driver’s seat as they doubled their lead just over two minutes later.
Rookie Eli Barrett, playing in his fifth WHL game, outmuscled the Royals defenceman to scoop a pass back to St. Louis Blues prospect Jakub Stancl, who dished a centering pass to Levi Benson for Kelowna’s second goal of the night.
Benson now has 10 goals in his first major junior campaign.
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But top 2025 NHL Draft prospect and CHL USA Prospects Challenge star Cole Reschny (NHL CSS: 34) wasn’t ready to shut it down for the night.
Less than a minute after Benson struck, the centreman from Macklin, Sask. ripped a wrist shot past Rhett Stoesser on a two-on-one to get the Royals on the board with veteran Teydon Trembecky and 2025 WHL Trade Deadline acquisition Kenta Isogai earning the assists.
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Reschny followed it up with a 200-foot stunner as he bobbed and weaved through the Rockets defenders before firing home his 25th goal of the season on the powerplay.
Utah Hockey Club prospect and Royals Captain Justin Kipkie and draft-eligible netminder Jayden Kraus (NHL CSS: 11) snagged the assists.
HAVE MERCY, COLE RESCHNY!@victoriaroyals | #NHLDraft | #WHLWednesday pic.twitter.com/dSBkHonpCM
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) March 20, 2025
Victoria edged ahead for the first time in the match with a third goal in a 10-minute span as Brandon Lisowsky picked up his 39th lamp-lighter off the season off a play from Hayden Moore and San Jose Sharks pick Nate Misskey.
Stancl, who led all skaters in goals at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship en route to a bronze medal with Czechia, leveled the match once again with a burst of speed to bury a shot at point-blank range on the powerplay, courtesy of some sharp passing from Paupanekis and blueliner Will Sharpe (NHL CSS: 48).
ALL SQUARE!@StLouisBlues prospect Jakub Stancl evens the score for the @Kelowna_Rockets.#WHLWednesday pic.twitter.com/wPhBO1hPIr
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) March 20, 2025
Sharpe’s best play won’t show up on the scoresheet, but he held Kelowna in the mix by batting a sure goal out of midair and out of the Rockets’ crease to keep the game tied at 3-3.
Sharpe Thinking.
The @Kelowna_Rockets blueliner keeps #WHLWednesday Night in The Dub in a deadlock!#NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/Ehyn5MGWb0
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) March 20, 2025
As the clock ticked down to the end of regulation, Victoria found the dagger off a Reggie Newman screened point shot.
Newman’s 13th goal of the campaign would stand as the game-winner, with Kipkie and Lisowsky picking up their second points of the night.
Kenta Isogai capped off the scoring with an empty-netter as the Royals cruised to a 5-3 win.
Reggieeeee on the spot!@victoriaroyals | #WHLWednesday pic.twitter.com/BzuhwwNw95
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) March 20, 2025
Kraus stopped 30 of 33 shots for his 25th win of the season, while Stoesser steered aside 32 of 36 shots while holding Victoria’s lethal powerplay to one goal on two opportunities.
Victoria will head north for a pair of weekend matches against the Prince George Cougars (40-20-4-2) to close out the season, starting with a tilt on Friday, March 21 at 7:00 p.m. PST.
These games will determine who earns the B.C. Division crown and gets the all-important second seed in the Western Conference heading into the 2025 WHL Playoffs presented by Nutrien.
The Royals and Cougars have already locked in home-ice advantage for their respective first-round series.
Kelowna (17-43-4-2) turns its attention to its home finale against the Kamloops Blazers (23-37-4-1) on Saturday, March 22 at 6:05 p.m. PST.
Wednesday Night in the Dub returns with a special Sunday showdown as the Calgary Hitmen take on the Medicine Hat Tigers in their regular season finale on Sunday, March 23 at 5:00 p.m. MST.
The critical match could decide first place in the Central Division and Eastern Conference.
All Wednesday Night in the Dub featured games will be free to stream on WHL Live and the WHL’s YouTube Channel.
