Looking to build off their overtime win against Langley on Sept. 30, the Victoria Grizzlies came out strong in their game Saturday against the Cowichan Valley Capitals.
The first period was physical and exciting with shots 11-10 in favour of the Capitals. The opening frame ended scoreless with two penalties against each team.
The second period saw the home side dominate in almost every aspect. At 5:38, Justin Michaelian opened the scoring with his sixth goal of the season on the power play, assisted by Timothy Friedmann and Dayne Finnson.
Then at 11:58, Jamie Rome added his fifth goal of the campaign unassisted to extend the Grizzlies’ lead to 2-0. Cowichan Valley took three penalties in the period but the Grizzlies could only capitalize on the one. The home team out shot the visitors 18-9 in the second.
The beginning of the third period was déjà vu for the Grizzlies. After coughing up a two-goal lead against the Rivermen in their last outing, Raphael Gosslin scored at 3:28 to cut the deficit to one for the Capitals.
But Victoria wouldn’t let the same thing happen again. Ethan Nother notched his sixth of the season assisted by Jordan Guiney and Matthew Doran to take a 3-1 lead.
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Roughly three minutes later, Timothy Friedmann scored – assisted by Drayson Pears – to extend the Grizzlies’ lead to 4-1. But Cowichan wouldn’t call it quits quite yet.
Andrew Mccann scored his first of the year at 11:34 to bring the visitors back within two but it didn’t last very long.
Marty Westhaver continued his scoring streak with his third goal of the year to give the home side a 5-2 advantage at the final buzzer.
The Grizzlies travelled to Nanaimo on Saturday looking to keep their winning streak alive against the Clippers.
Nanaimo jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first but Victoria answered with a goal from Rome.
The Grizzlies added another in the second period with a shorthanded goal from Michaelian assisted by Friedmann and Finnson.
But the back and forth would continue in the third with the Clippers tying the game at two.
With close to five minutes left in the game, Ethan Nother added his seventh of the season on the power play for the Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies sit at 7-3-0 on the season and are on the road this weekend facing off against Trail on Friday, followed by Pentiction on Saturday and Surrey on Sunday.
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