Grizzlies take on Kings in second playoff round

It only makes sense that the team donning the green would win on St. Patrick’s Day.

The green-clad Powell River Kings used a goal from Jonny Evans at 3:17 of double overtime to defeat the Victoria Grizzlies 3-2 at The Q Centre, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead in the best-of -seven Island Division final in the B.C. Hockey league playoffs.

Game 2 goes tonight at 7, again at The Q Centre before Games 3 and 4 head to Powell River on Monday and Tuesday.

The Grizzlies are in an obvious hole, losing just for the second time in the playoffs, but both coming at home where they lost home-ice advantage early in a series. They dropped Game 2 to the Nanaimo Clippers only to rebound for a five-game series win.

“It’s playoffs so I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s real tight checking and defensive,” Kings sniper Tristan Mullin said before the game. “Special teams play a huge factor in the playoffs so who ever executes best, it will definitely help them.

“You’d love to come here and get a couple of wins,” he added.

Should that happen the Grizzlies will be in a huge hole, which makes tonight critical.

This one should likely never have gone to the extra session as Kyle Betts had two glorious chances to solidify it for the Kings, failing to get the puck up and having Grizzlies goalie Matthew Galajda make a dandy pad save with 5:00 to go.

Had he lifted the puck it was a sure goal. Then, all alone in front, Betts fired the puck into the netting way above Galajda with 2:13 to go in the third. For good measure, Betts missed wide on another glorious chance in the overtime.

Jack Long scored a pair of goals for the Kings, the first from between the blue line and centre line that rode in along Galajda’s blocker at 9:33 of the first period, which stunned the goaltender and the crowd. Lucas Clark tied it at 1-1 at 17:40 of the second on Victoria’s third power play of the game as he snuck a shot through Brian Wilson in tight.

Long’s shot from the point then eluded a screened Galajda at 9:17 of the third period, but Jamie Rome tied it exactly a minute later for the Grizzlies.