Call them clutch, call them competitive, call them whatever you want, the Victoria Royals are winning. Through the first eight games the Royals had six wins, half of those came in extra time.

Forward Logan Nelson is one of the most visible reasons the team is off to a great start.

The 19 year old is playing noticably more physical and is chipping in timely goals, like the one he scored to tie the game against the Tri City Americans with 35 seconds left on Saturday to make it 3-3. He then scored the only goal of the shootout to cap a come-from-behind 4-3 victory.

It was his second shootout winner this year.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been lucky in the shootout, getting bounces I guess,B次元官网网址� Nelson said.

All in all, it was a solid three games in three nights road trip for the Royals, as they bounced  back from a 5-3 loss to the Spokane Chiefs on Friday to beat the Americans Saturday and Vancouver Giants 2-1 on Sunday.

B次元官网网址淚 really liked the adjustments we made on Saturday and the resiliency we showed (after FridayB次元官网网址檚 loss),B次元官网网址� Lowry said. B次元官网网址淲e had a goal called back on the powerplay but came back and scored again, and thatB次元官网网址檚 a good sign.B次元官网网址�

Saturday was also the second time this season Nelson scored the only goal of the shootout, thereby winning the game for the Royals (in partnership with goalie Patrik Polivka, who has let in zero goals on six shootout attempts). NelsonB次元官网网址檚 other shootout goal was against the Kamloops Blazers on Sept. 28, also a 4-3 win.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e much better at staying positive and if they get a goal, we know itB次元官网网址檚 not the end of the world,B次元官网网址� Nelson said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e not going to give up until the buzzer goes, especially when the other team thinks theyB次元官网网址檝e got the win.B次元官网网址�

Without Steven Hodges, who was perhaps the teamB次元官网网址檚 best player in the first three games before getting injured, the recent success of Nelson and the Royals is all the more impressive.

As of Wednesday morning, Nelson was second in team scoring with three goals and six assists, behind Alex GogolevB次元官网网址檚 three goals and eight assists.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been up to the older guys to pick it up. We definitely miss Steve in the lineup,B次元官网网址� Nelson said.

B次元官网网址淕ogolev has been great. HeB次元官网网址檚 got eyes in the back of his head finding guys out there.B次元官网网址�

With Hodges out, Nelson moved off of GogolevB次元官网网址檚 line and, onto a line with Jamie Crooks and Austin Carroll, though Nelson and Gogolev have skated together on the powerplay and with the extra attacker.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been able to be compatible with (Crooks) and (Carroll) and game-by-game, weB次元官网网址檙e getting better,B次元官网网址� Nelson said.

Trend or no trend, coming back from behind and winning in extra time is the biggest difference from last yearB次元官网网址檚 Royals, and coach Dave Lowry isnB次元官网网址檛 picky right now about the way his team wins.

B次元官网网址淭his is a team searching for an identity right now,B次元官网网址� Lowry said, B次元官网网址渃oming from behind, winning close games, winning in shootouts. When youB次元官网网址檙e winning youB次元官网网址檙e looking for new ways to challenge the team just as you would when youB次元官网网址檙e losing.B次元官网网址�

The Royals are in Kamloops Wednesday night against the Blazers and home to the Kelowna Rockets Friday and Saturday at 7:05 p.m. at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.