For Grizzlies, it’s down to a best of three in Island Division final
It has been an emotional start to the B.C. Hockey League’s Island Division final, with highs and lows experienced through the first four games, leaving players and coaches physically and mentally drained.
To date, the Victoria Grizzlies have responded in a pair of mustwin scenarios, claiming wins in Games 2 and 4 in huge swing matchups in which they could have stumbled, already down 1-0 and 2-1 in the best-of-seven affair.
Instead, they find themselves tied 2-2 in the series against the Powell River Kings, who could have had the Grizzlies on the ropes, but came up short in the pivotal outcomes, including Tuesday’s 5-4 overtime setback to Victoria.
It is now a best-of-three, with the Grizzlies earning back homeice advantage. The series continues with Game 5 tonight at 7 at The Q Centre before returning to Powell River for Game 6 on Saturday at 5 p.m.
“There’s no quit in these guys and it’s been a heck of a series,” said Grizzlies general manager and head coach Craig Didmon, whose team stared down the possibility of moving to an elimination game.
Nick Guiney changed that with his overtime goal just 33 seconds into the nervous extra session Tuesday after T.J. Friedmann had tied it midway through the third period.
“With 10 minutes to go, we’re staring at the possibility of being down 3-1 in the series and Friedmann gets his second goal of the night,” Didmon said. “Then we head to overtime and we’re still one goal away from down 1-3 or one goal from being tied 2-2 in the series with home-ice advantage.
“That was, so far, the biggest goal of the series,” Didmon said of Guiney’s game-winner. “This team has a lot of heart, battle and maturity. They are boys becoming men and I’m certainly proud of them right now.”
Didmon desperately required some secondary scoring, outside of the Cole Pickup, Lucas Clark and Jamie Rome line that has produced most of the offence. He got it Tuesday as Guiney and Friedmann both came through with their first two goals of the playoffs in the must-win.
“Those guys have played great — plus-minus wise, they’ve done their jobs shutting down opposing lines. But they are guys who know how to score goals and we had been waiting for it,” said a relieved Didmon. “We spent the day [prior to Tuesday’s game] looking at offensive chances and what we could have done better the night before [a 2-1 loss in Game 3].
“They’re all strategizing. They’re trying to find ways in and talking about it and I give them huge credit,” Didmon said.
It was Victoria’s 17th overall overtime game this 2016-17 B.C. Hockey League season (winning six, losing five and tying four in the regular season) and second in the post-season, where they are now 1-1. The Grizzlies lost Game 1, 3-2 in double overtime to Powell River.
If there is one concern, it might be that the Grizzlies have let third-period leads evaporate in back-to-back games.
On Tuesday, Victoria led 3-1 early in the second period and 3-2 after 40 minutes. Powell River grabbed a 4-3 advantage before Friedmann checked in for the second time. On Monday, the Kings scored twice in the third for a 2-1 win.
“It’s not something we’re accustomed to [blowing the lead], for sure, but we got it back. You learn from your mistakes. We’ve made the mistake two times in a row, so hopefully that doesn’t happen again,” Didmon said.
A huge positive, however, is that the Grizzlies have allowed just one power-play goal against in this series on 14 Powell River chances. That goal came Tuesday.
“They got the one, which bugged me because they were only in the zone for 10 seconds,” Didmon said.
“Their power play is pretty good and if you would have told me they would only have one power-play goal four games into the series, I’d be pretty happy.”