Grizzlies on the verge of extinction
ALBERNI VALLEY 3 VICTORIA 2 (OT) (Bulldogs lead series 3-0)
The Victoria Grizzlies tried a new goalie and different line combinations. but the Alberni Valley Bulldogs wouldn’t budge, biting the Grizzlies in overtime again in the B.C. Hockey League playoffs.
After the Grizzlies tied Game 3 in Port Alberni with a Matt Doran shorthanded goal with 50 seconds left in the third period Tuesday, the Bulldogs got a Michael Sacco goal at 15:05 of the first overtime period for a 3-2 win to push the Island Division regular-season champs to the brink of elimination. All three Alberni victories have come in overtime.
Game 4 goes tonight at Weyerhaeuser Arena. If a fifth game is needed, it will be back at The Q Centre on Friday night.
Grizzlies GM and head coach Craig Didmon was ejected from the game with five minutes left in the third after watching Alberni get four straight power plays, leaving the Grizzlies to play most of the final seven minutes of regulation shorthanded.
After a scoreless first period, Marty Westhaver opened the scoring for the Grizzlies, tipping in a Dayne Finnson shot five minutes into the middle frame.
The Bulldogs pulled even three minutes later thanks to a rather fluky goal credited to Julian Benner that was knocked into his own net by Grizzlies defenceman Cole Noble.
After Paul Selleck gave Alberni their first lead of the series, five minutes into the third, it looked like the Bulldogs were ready to get their first non-overtime win of these playoffs. But Doran pushed up with the Grizzlies shorthanded and finished off an Alex Newhook pass to extend the game for the third straight time.
The Grizzlies welcomed back netminder Kurtis Chapman, who missed the first two games after having to return home to Alberta because of the death of a close friend. Chapman made 35 saves.
John Hawthorne was the busier of the two goalies despite Alberni having six power plays to the Grizzlies’ three. Hawthorne finished with 52 saves.
Both teams lost key players to injury Tuesday. The Bulldogs lost defenceman Mitchell Oliver in the first period and he didn’t return. The Grizzlies’ leading point-getter in the playoffs, T.J. Friedmann, left midway through the third period and did not return.
In the other Island Division series, the Nanaimo Clippers got an overtime win Tuesday in Powell River to even their series with the Kings at 2-2. Game 5 goes Thursday at Frank Crane Arena in Nanaimo.