Outside forces prevented the Victoria Grizzlies from trying for their fifth straight B.C. Hockey League win on Saturday.
Last night’s game in Chilliwack was postponed and will be rescheduled. As the Grizzlies travelled south on Highway 97 yesterday following Friday night’s 4-2 win in Prince George, the team bus was detoured due to an accident near Boston Bar. As well, the bus ran into tire problems that had to be addressed. The game in Chilliwack will be rescheduled.
The road trip opener saw the Grizzlies score a hard-fought win over the Spruce Kings. Defenceman Cody Van Lierop scored the eventual winner with just under six minutes to play in the second period, breaking a 2-2 tie with a shot from the point that appeared to deflect off the stick of Kings winger Connor Logan. Cole Pickup and Kevin Massy got the assists.
Logan, a Victoria native and former Campbell River Storm junior B player, got his team on the board 2:25 into the second period, making it 1-1. Tyler Welsh had opened scoring with a goal from Pickup and P.J. Conlon about five minutes into the first.
The locals made it 2-1 with a power play goal from Chong Lee less than three minutes later, but Grizzlies defenceman Brett Stirling returned the favour at the 7:15 mark, scoring as Braiden Epp sat serving a roughing penalty. Stirling finished off a passing play from Van Lierop and Welsh.
With his team having kept the Kings at bay through the third, the Grizzlies’ MItchell Barker scored an empty net goal from Stirling with 10 seconds to go.
Matthew Galajda was in net again for the Grizzlies and made 27 saves for his and the team’s fourth straight win.
Victoria plays in Surrey against the Eagles today at 4 p.m., then the Grizzlies have almost a week off game time, returning to action next Saturday at The Q Centre against the Salmon Arm Silverbacks.
editor@goldstreamgazette.com
