YOUR GRIZZLIES PULL OFF ANOTHER HUGE O/T WIN!
In another of those double overtime, come from behind wins that our Grizzlies have become famous for, they defeated the Alberni Valley Bulldogs 5 to 4.
With 4 seconds remaining in Period 5 Myles Fitzgerald came through big and thrilled 1245 fans that were sitting on the the edge of their seats. He won the game for us with the assist going to David Mazurek! The crowd, which was actually very good considering we were going head to head with the Royals went berserk when Myles finally scored 3 on 3.
The game started out with Lars Hepso from the Dogs scoring first just 2 ½ minutes into period 1. Try as hard as they could our Grizzlies could not answer this goal during the rest of period 1.
However, just 23 seconds into the second period the awesome threesome put Victoria into the game with Myles Fitzgerald scoring from his brothers Gerry and Leo. Unfortunately after we tied the game early in the second almost the rest of the period was dominated by the Alberni Bulldogs as they scored at 9.10 and then at 12.06. There was lots of fast, end to end rushes and opportunities for scoring but the Grizzlies, now down by 2 goals, could not answer either of these.
It wasn't until 1.17 of the third period that the Grizzlies got 1 back when Brett Hartskamp scored from Dave Mazurek making it 3 to 2 Alberni. This oddly enough was the first shorthanded goal that had been scored by the Grizzlies this entire season! This opened the door a bit and at 12.15 of the 3rd. Stefan Nicolishen scored from Chris Albertini and Brett Hartskamp tying the game at 3 goals each. The fans were pumped now they could smell a possible victory! But their hopes seemed to have been crushed when at 13.14 the Dog's Hunter Stewart scored putting Alberni ahead by one goal fairly close to the end of the third. Things were looking a bit bleak. However, at 18.35 Alberni received a penalty for boarding, and the Grizzlies pulled their goalie giving the Grizz a 6 on 4 power-play for about the last minute and a half. The Grizz capitalized on this with only 40 seconds remaining in the game when Blake Thompson scored from Myles Fitzgerald tying the game at 4 goals apiece and sending us to overtime! The crowd came unglued!
Nothing was settled in the first overtime of 4 on 4. Both teams were wired and playing their hearts out for a win. The fans were on the edge of their seats the whole time, practically holding their breath!
Then came the second overtime which is played 3 on 3. It opened things up so the goalies could really show their stuff and they took shot after shot at both ends until finally with only 4 seconds left in the fifth period Myles Fitzgerald scored the game winner from Dave Mazurek. WHAT A GAME!
Congratulations to all 3 of the game stars, Third star from the Dogs, Bo Pellah, Second Star from the Grizzlies, Brett Hartskamp, and First Star from the Grizzlies, Myles Fitzgerald. (I only wish that the goalies could have been in on the stars also, as Victoria fired 55 shots on Alberni's goalie Jay Deo, and Alberni had 34 shots on our Brady Rouleau!)
Game Thoughts Grizzlies –
A batting
performance tonight and one that at times could have gone either way. Despite
missing Captain Zach Urban, Kaiser, Meek, Walchuck and Coachman; a determined
effort and another OT victory against Alberni maintains the Grizzlies lead in
the Island division.
The theme of
this season has been battling performance and hard work, which is a recipe that
certainly a big factor for the victory on Friday night.
Victoria,
seemed to slip a gear in the second and the Bulldogs really had the Grizzlies
chasing the game for long stretches of that middle frame.
The
Grizzlies did benefit from the call up of the three Victoria Cougars players in
two of top scorers in the VIJHL, Brody Coulter (62 points in 22 games), Sam
Rice (57 points in 22 games) and former Trail player Brandon Egli in defence
Coulter and
Rice, didn’t look out of place and where given a good number of minutes tonight
to show what they can do and despite not getting on the score sheet, saw time
on the 4 on 4 and 3 on 3 OT periods. Can anyone recall when an AP got that type
of situational play at key times like that.
I have no background
as to whether Coulter and Rice would want to play Jnr A hockey fulltime, but,
if the stars aligned and the Grizzlies where looking for some extra fire power,
they may not to have to look too much further than in their own backyard.
Egli, also played
a nice shut down roll tonight and was very steady.
A lot of
credit tonight needs to go to Hartskamp, Jones, Thompson and the triplets. Myles
Fitzgerald, has really looked sharp and his drive and determination has seen
him score in the big games and at key times.
Credit to
all the boys tonight, as there were a lot new lines out there and playing against
a physical, well coached Bulldogs team, this was never going to be an easy
assignment.
A Grizz Roar
blog mention has to go to David Mazurek, who skated hard all night and really
had the Bulldogs looking over their shoulder. Despite taking a hard hip check
in the second, Mazurek kept going all night. Great performance at both ends of
the ice for David who chipped in with two assists as well.
Good efforts
tonight from Pellah, Cristanti, Van Allen and certainly young defenseman Jared
Wilson.
Attendance - 1245
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