After a pair of solid wins on home ice, the Victoria Grizzlies were brought back down to earth on Monday night in Powell River.
The hometown KIngs, coming off 4-1 and 5-0 road losses last weekend, outshot the Grizzlies 38-23 en route to a 4-2 victory they hope will shift momentum in the teams’ B.C. Hockey League divisional final series.
The win, regardless of the result tonight (March 18) in Powell River, assures there will be a Game 5 back at The Q Centre on the West Shore on Thursday night.
The Kings led 1-0 after one period and 2-1 after 40 minutes. Grizzlies goaltender Nic Renyard, seeing his first action in the series, turned aside 21 shots in the second period alone and helped keep the game close.
After Matt Scarth made it 2-0 Kings early in the second, Leo Fitzgerald scored on the power play from brother Gerry with 27 seconds to go in the frame to cut the gap.
Myles Fitzgerald tied it up at 10:12 of the third, finishing off a passing play from Gerry Fitzgerald and Jaden Schmeisser, but the Kings’ Ryan Scarfo restored their lead with 4:03 to play. With Renyard pulled for an extra attacker, Powell River’s Brian Rideout scored into the empty net.
Thursday’s game goes at 7:15 p.m. at The Q Centre in Colwood. Tickets are available by calling 250-385-1555, at the door, or by visiting http://bit.ly/1gLqNFB.
ddescoteau@vicnews.com
