Chiefs tame Grizzlies in opener

CHILLIWACK 7 VICTORIA 3 (Chiefs lead series 1-0)

The Victoria Grizzlies forgot their jerseys and socks back at The Q Centre for Game 1 of their B.C. Hockey League semifinal at Prospera Centre in Chilliwack on Friday night.

They also forgot to show up as a team, allowing four goals in the opening period in a 7-3 whitewash against the well-rested Chiefs, who dominated from start to finish after an eight-day layoff.

Jake Smith and Will Calverley had power-play goals, Tommy Lee added a short-handed marker on a 2-on-0 breakaway and Carver Watson collected one at even strength as Chilliwack opened up a 4-0 lead by the 15:57 mark of the first before 2,692 fans.

Jamie Rome got one back on a Victoria power play with 11 seconds remaining in the opening period, but Anthony Vincent chased Grizzlies’ starting netminder Matthew Galajda from the net just 1:02 into the second, having surrendered five goals on 15 shots and down 5-1.

“We had a bad start and obviously we were a little distracted,” said Grizzlies general manager and head coach Craig Didmon. “They were fresh, had time to do their homework and came out and fired on all cylinders. We didn’t have the answers.”

As for the jerseys, the Grizzlies are in midst of having a camp for prospective players and somehow the bags were accidentally swapped.

“It was an error with the bags. It is what it is,” said a dejected Didmon.

Wearing borrowed black Chilliwack Bruins minor hockey jerseys with mix-and-match burgundy and yellow socks, which the host team managed to scrounge up for the visitors, it was truly a dog’s breakfast on the ice as the shot-clock read 13-1, 13:14 in, with a 3-0 Chiefs’ lead.

Backup Tony Rehm mopped up for Victoria, stopping 15 of 17 shots. Vincent added a second goal and Ben Fanjoy also tallied for the Chiefs, while Lucas Clark and Cody Van Lierop had the others for the Grizzlies. Jordan Kawaguchi had five assists for the victors.

Mark Sinclair made 22 saves for the Chiefs before he was replaced late by Mathieu Caron, who gave up the last goal.

Game 2 goes tonight at 7 before Games 3 and 4 head to The Q Centre on Tuesday and Wednesday in the best-of-seven affair.