The Victoria Royals have had a week to get ready for the Calgary Hitmen. On Wednesday, they will find out if the hard work has paid off. For the second time in a month and a half, the Royals entertain the Hitmen at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.

The Hitmen out-scored the Royals 9-4 the last time they paid a visit to Victoria on January 3. It was a game that saw the Royals’ Logan Nelson and the Hitmen’s Chase Clayton exchange hat-tricks. This will be the third game of a five game home stand for the Royals that got off on the wrong foot last week with back-to-back losses to the Everett Silvertips. The Royals come into the game with a record of 17-33-2-4 and are back in the eighth seed in the Western Conference, two points behind Seattle and one ahead of Everett.

The Hitmen started 2012 with wins in 14 of their first 16 games of the New Year, but have now stumbled with four straight losses. Calgary will take a 32-22-2-1 record into Wednesday’s clash with the Royals, good for sixth in the Eastern Conference. In fact, during the Hitmen’s hot streak last month, they reached a high of third in the conference and are still only three points behind Kootenay for fourth.

Royals’ leading scorer Jamie Crooks will take a six game point streak into the game, with five goals and six points over that span. Crooks leads the Royals with 30 goals and 58 points on the year. Defenceman Hayden Rintoul is also on a streak of his own, with a five game assist streak. Rintoul, the Royals’ Captain, has six assists in that time and his 29 assists only trail Nelson’s 31 among Royals’ players.

All Hitmen streaks were snuffed out Sunday at home against the Kootenay Ice in a 4-0 loss. Jimmy Bubnick leads the way with 26 goals and 57 points on the season. Victoria product Brandon Glover has shared duties in goal with Chris Driedger and posted the victory against the Royals on January 3.

Puck drop Wednesday goes at 7:05pm. The Royals wrap up the home stand this weekend with back-to-back games with the Prince George Cougars Friday and Saturday. For further details or to purchase your tickets today, visit the Victoria Royals Ticket Office, www.victoriaroyals.com, or call 250-220-7889.