Grizzlies complete stunning comeback
TIM HORTONS BRIER
The Victoria Grizzlies capped a stunning comeback from a 3-0 series deficit to advance to the second round of the B.C. Hockey League playoffs.
Finn Withey, Cameron Thompson and Cole Noble scored and Kurtis Chapman made 24 saves for the shutout as the Grizzlies beat the visiting Alberni Valley Bulldogs 3-0 in Game 7 on Sunday afternoon.
The Island Division-champion Grizzlies finished 29 points ahead of the Bulldogs in the regular season, but appeared to be heading home early after Alberni won the first two games in Victoria and Game 3 at home – all in sudden-death overtime.
The Grizzlies stayed alive with a 4-1 win in Alberni on Wednesday, won 5-1 at home on Friday and prevailed 4-2 in Alberni on Saturday to set up the deciding game.
Victoria opens at home this Friday in the Island Division final against the Powell River Kings, who beat the Nanaimo Clippers in six games.
In Game 6 on Saturday, Carter Turnbull and Mitchell Williams each scored twice and the Kings rallied from a 3-1 second-period deficit to beat the visiting Clippers 6-4.
In the Mainland Division, the Surrey Eagles will play the winner of Sunday night’s Game 7 between the Chilliwack Chiefs and Prince George Spruce Kings in Prince George.
Chilliwack – who will be hosting the RBC Cup national championship in May – stayed alive with a 6-1 victory at home on Saturday. If the Chiefs lose the series, they will wait almost two months before playing again.
Surrey advanced by defeating the visiting Langley Rivermen 5-4 in overtime on Friday to win the series 4-2. Former Penticton Vees forward Desi Burgart continued his red-hot post-season with a hat-trick, and now has a playoff-best eight goals.
Matthew Campese, son of former Vees head coach Bruno Campese, scored the winner 34 seconds into overtime.
Surrey would start on the road against Prince George or at home against Chilliwack.
In the Interior Division, all four first-round series ended in sweeps and the winning teams will have more than a full week off before the second round starts Friday.
The Vees will play the Trail Smoke Eaters with Games 1 and 2 Friday and Saturday at the South Okanagan Events Centre, while the Vernon Vipers open at home in their series against the Wenatchee Wild on the same nights.
Games 3 and 4 of the Vees-Trail series go March 20 and 21 at the Cominco Arena.
The Vees won the regular season title and will have home-ice advantage for as long as they go in the BCHL playoffs.