The Fortress In The Forest Part Two, A Study In Geology: Kings v Grizz

With Game 6 only hours away and the entire series now hanging in the balance with the Kings up 3-2, the Grizzlies know that their backs are literally up against the proverbial wall. After completing the middle three games of the series at The Hap Parker Arena in Powell River, the Grizzlies might take solace from the fact that they managed to win at least one game on the road, the Saturday night 6-1 victory.

That victory would provide the Grizzlies with a good deal of hope left in a series which has witnessed just about everything thus far. The victory, the first of the entire season for the Grizzlies at "The Hap" allows Victoria with an opportunity to finish the series at home.  Game 6 and 7 (if necessary) will not fall under the usual Away-Home model as seen in the traditional BCHL hockey playoff model, not this year.  Instead, due to an interesting and somewhat curious decision, the Grizzlies took a considerable calculated risk by choosing to play 3 straight games at what I like to call "The Fortress In The Forest."  Had the Grizzlies lost all three weekend games at The Hap, the series would already be over. But the Grizzlies held firm and got that one vital win.

And after Friday night's game, a 5-2 loss in spite of 49 shots on Kings goaltender Brett Magnus, the Grizzlies looked like that decision to play games 3, 4 and 5 in Powell River might prove fatal.  With the smaller ice surface and the chip and chase style of the Kings, the hometown advantage looked to be perhaps insurmountable after Game 3.






But I predicted on Saturday that the winner of Game 4 would win the series and the Grizzlies did just that. Tom Gobeil, held pointless so far would provide a spark by cleanly hitting Kings defenseman Ross Hnidy into the boards in the second minute of the opening period. That hit would end Hnidy's night and likely his series but it would provide a lift for the Grizzlies who continued to pour on the fore-check in the smaller rink.

Moments later, taking the lead in a series hockey game for the only time so far through 5 games, Cole Pickup would snap a wrist shot past Magnus. Pickup's unassisted effort would lift his team's bench in spite of a Nick Halagian tying goal before the end of the period. But Period #2 would prove the pivotal moment of the entire weekend. Four unanswered Grizzlies goals, with two on the Powerplay, would be more than enough offense to provide the Grizzlies with the assurance that a Game 6 would take place on Tuesday at The Q Centre. Ayden MacDonald, Brett Gruber, Garret Forster and Jay Mackie would all score and in the 2nd period and Captain Shawn McBride would finish off the scoring with seconds left in the 3rd, sending the Grizzlies back to the hotel with a 6-1 win but more importantly with the series tied at 2-2.

On Sunday however it would be Magnus again leading the way with 26 saves on 27 Grizzlies' shots and a 5-1 Kings victory for Game 5. But the Grizzlies would leave the Fortress In The Fortress for the very last time in the 2014/15 season with a crucial single victory in seven attempts.  If you had told the Grizzlies at the beginning of the season that they would be 1-7 at the Hap Parker on the year, few would complain if that one solitary win would come during the playoffs. The win might be all the Grizzlies will need now. It could prove fatal for the Kings.

But Magnus has been nothing short of incredible and the Grizzlies must find a way to beat him in Game 6 Tuesday night at The Q Centre. Having faced 166 shots in the series and conceding only 13 goals, Magnus now sports a formidable .922 save percentage. It is a figure which is truly impressive, coupled with the fact that he has held talented forwards Dane Gibson and Thomas Gobeil to only a single assist between the two 20 year-olds in 5 straight playoff games thus far.

After scoring only two goals on 49 shots on Friday night, I first started thinking about the film, The Shawshank Redemption.  We all remember that famous prison movie in the early 1990s with Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins. With Robbins' character, Andy Dufresne free and on the run, Morgan Freeman as narrator gives an account of the prison break.

"In 1966, Andy Dufresne escaped from Shawshank Prison. All they found of him was a muddy set of prison clothes, a bar of soap, and an old rock hammer, damn near worn down to the nub. I used to think it would take six-hundred years to tunnel under the wall with it. Old Andy did it in less than twenty. Oh, Andy loved geology. I imagine it appealed to his meticulous nature. An ice age here, million years of mountain building there. Geology is the study of pressure and time. That's all it takes really, pressure and time."

The Grizzlies proved the theory around that particular science on Saturday night as they made Magnus look human again with no less than 6 goals on only 26 shots. Magnus on that night sported a save percentage of only .770. Pressure and time.

With sustained effort and constant pressure on Saturday, the Grizzlies finally broke through and scored with relative ease on Magnus. On Sunday that pressure lessened somewhat in spite of a 4- minute 2nd period Powerplay, I doubt that will happen again. But remember also that the Grizzlies Powerplay was attempting to operate in the tighter confines of the Hap. Games 6 and 7 will provide the Grizzlies with the much needed extra real-estate to operate their offense.  Pressure and time.


So off to the biggest game of the season, Game 6. The Q Centre will be buzzing and I expect that the Grizzlies will come out with a desperate effort for a full 60 minutes. If they can maintain that pressure and sustain it for a long enough period of time, say a full 60 minutes, they can and will be ultimately successful against the Kings.

That's all it takes really, pressure and time. -CC



             

Survive and Advance: Grizzlies v Kings Games 1 & 2

A couple of years ago the surviving members of the 1983 North Carolina State Wolfpack were getting together to have a 30 year reunion from their National Championship season and it occurred to ESPN Films to make one of those 30 for 30 documentaries about the iconic event.

If I was ever asked, I would often say that the only thing which could ever instantly bring me to tears was the final 15 minutes of To Kill A Mockingbird.  Well in 2013 when ESPN 30 for 30 released Survive and Advance, I had to add that film to my short list.  It's still the finest documentary I have ever seen.

The Wolfpack's Head Coach in 1983 was a funny and outgoing young Italian American from Queens New York named Jim Valvano.  Jimmy V was a lot of great things, but what he was most known for was his ability to trust his convictions and lead his team in the only way he knew how, by being himself.

Literally against all odds, the 83' Wolfpack won College Basketball's most coveted prize, the NCAA Men's National Championship.  The 30 for 30 Episode which commemorates that moment talks about the highs and the lows of that entire 82'/83' season, but most of all it captures Coach V's constant pre-game message during that Final Four:  "Survive and Advance".

Photo Credit - Christian Stewart ISN

Just survive the next game and then advance to the next one.  That was his message.  Just find a way to win and we will advance, somehow, some way and we will worry about the next game when it comes.  That 83' Wolfpack team saw him invent tactics in the spur of the moment.  He called timeouts and issued instructions for his players to commit intentional fouls.  It was done only to get the ball back and put pressure on the opposition.  It had never been done before.  Yes Coach Jimmy V invented the intentional foul.

Photo Credit - Christian Stewart ISN

The Grizzlies in many ways are right in the middle of their very own "Final Four".  Well actually the BCHL somehow managed to invent a "Final Three" but I think you get what I am getting at.

After a miserable 7-2 opening game loss in front of a sparse crowd at the Q Centre on Tuesday night, the Grizzlies looked like a truly emotionally beaten team.  Nothing went right.  Pucks bounced off sticks, passes went wide or were too long and ended up in an icing call, shots were deflected into the Q Centre netting by the dozens all night.  With only 6 games left in the series and the Grizzlies needing to win 4 out of the 6, the task was looking tall going into the Hap Parker Arena for three straight games this weekend.

Photo Credit - Christian Stewart ISN

And that's when I started thinking about Jim Valvano.  After a one year fight with cancer, Coach Valvano would die in 1993 shortly after the 10th year anniversary of the 83' Championship.  On Tuesday night I started to think about what he would if he were alive to the Grizzlies during this treacherous road to the Fred Page Cup.  I started to think long and hard about Survive and Advance.

Down early in Game 2 on a Powell River Johnny Evans goal, the Grizzlies looked like they were on their way to another long night.  But before the period was out, Ayden Macdonald, fresh off a two game suspension, would tie the game at 1-1 on a beautifully crafted play by Kevin Massy.  Best of all, the tie game held firm as both goalies turned away shot after shot.

Photo Credit - Christian Stewart ISN

With less than 3 minutes to play last night and with the score all knotted up at 1-1, I literally saw first-hand the principles of Survive and Advance.  Michael Stiliadis faced Brent Lashuk literally 5 feet in front of his crease, alone with the puck. One shot, a save, a second shot up higher, another save, a Grizzlies defenseman to the rescue, a sudden clearance and the danger had passed.  Or so it seemed.  Only moments later another wide open blistering shot, this time from the left D man and another huge stop by Stiliadis.  Survive and Advance.

With overtime looming the Grizzlies went to their Dressing Room with a 32-25 shot advantage.  No matter what happened in OT, the players would be able to look in the mirror with the full knowledge that they could do it, they could compete and play with the Kings.  The chances on net, not only the shots were far more in favour of the Grizzlies.

Photo Credit - Christian Stewart ISN

The Overtime literally played out almost in slow motion. Three minutes in, facing the Kings top line of Keats, Lashuk and Lukosevicius and under serious pressure in the Grizzlies end, Cole Pickup would tip a pass to the point and through the legs of Tony DeVito.  The play would see Pickup stretched at arms length and sprawled on the ice in a full extension to knock the puck free.  Using every inch of his 6'1'' frame, the Langford native would get just enough of the puck to send it down the right side of the ice and down towards the Grizzlies bench.

Seizing the moment, PJ Conlon who had been stymied numerous times in both games would sprint down the ice at full stride and beat the Kings defenseman Colton Sandberg to the puck.  After battling to retain possession, Conlon would pass the puck back to the point to Pickup who had re-joined the play.  It was at that moment that Chris Harpur would power his way into the offensive zone and yelling for the puck, Pickup would oblige the Niagara On The Lake born defenseman with a smooth saucer pass.  Taking his time, Harpur would quickly fire off a trademark left handed wrist shot high and over the left shoulder and glove of Kings goaltender Brett Magnus.  The puck found the top right corner of the net.  It was the biggest goal of not only Harpur's career but the biggest for the hockey club all season.

Photo Credit - Christian Stewart ISN

The Q Centre erupted and the series was tied 1-1.  Survive and Advance.

With Games 3, 4 and 5 all set for this weekend, the Grizzlies will travel to the Hap Parker in an attempt to accomplish something which they have not done all series and that of course is lead.  Heck the Grizzlies have yet to actually lead in an actual game.  Yes, the Grizzlies have not yet won a game this year at The Hap, but that's OK, they seem to have a new mentality going and it is serving them well.

Survive and Advance.  Jimmy V would be proud. -CC

 

A Grizzlies New Year For 2015

Well its New Years Eve and the Grizzlies have now formally opened the final chapter of their dramatic 2014/15 regular season. I say dramatic because their story thus far has featured no shortage of drama. The early part of the season saw a whirlwind of games, some good and some not so good and then we all stood shocked with the sudden departure of the GM and Head Coach at the end of November.

Chapter Two witnessed the re-emergence of Craig Didmon behind the bench and a restoration of confidence throughout the organization. Fans started coming back and team sponsors felt the confidence of ownership again. In his first 7 games as Head Coach, Didmon had amassed a record of 5 wins, 0 losses, 1 OT loss and a tie, not too shabby.

For this sportswriter and from a purely personal standpoint, the New Year would also see the unveiling of a Bubble Hockey Q Centre at the house as a tribute to the Grizzlies and all that they have done and will continue to do in 2015. After many hours of hand painting and detailing the game would bless Christmas morning with a Grizzlies vs Powell River Kings matchup awaiting anyone who dared.

The non Bubble Hockey version of Chapter Three opened officially on Monday night for the Grizzlies with the visit of the Powell River Kings to the actual Q Centre. The Kings were 1-2 vs the Grizzlies coming into last night's action, so you would have to have been hopeful especially considering the fact that Powell River were on the back end of three straight road games, having lost the first two to Alberni Valley and Cowichan Valley respectively.

But the 8 day break for the Grizzlies sure seemed to have left some rust on the skates. At the end of two periods, the Grizzlies found themselves down 3-0 to the Kings and facing the prospect of their first regulation loss of the season under Coach Didmon. The third period would see more Powell River offense and a score of 5-0 before the Grizzlies would answer with three straight goals of their own. The first two goals were on the PP by Brett Gruber and Dane Gibson and a third one by P.J. Conlon only a minute after the Gibson marker made it suddenly 5-3 with about 6 minutes left to play. You could almost hear the cars coming back into the parking lot for the fans looking to find the early exits on a bitter cold sub zero night in Colwood.

But it was a case of too little too late and with the net empty, the Kings would score and finish off the Grizzlies setting the season series squarely at 2-2. The Grizzlies would have to lick their wounds and resolve to do better just some twenty odd hours later, as the surging Cowichan Valley Caps were to visit the Q Centre the following night.

And things looked promising early in the second period on Toonie Tuesday #2 vs Cowichan one night later. It started with Justin Sadler jumping into the slot and putting away his 2nd marker of the year after a Dane Gibson and Brett Gruber charge on the net which left the puck on the stick of the Ohio native. With Sadler's goal the Grizzlies were suddenly in the lead, only to find themselves on the PK for no less than four straight man disadvantages over the remainder of the 2nd and 3rd periods of play. While the Caps were unsuccessful on those Power Plays, they nevertheless did tie the game late in the 2nd period while on even strength when Kade Kehoe would put a quick snap shot over the left shoulder of Goalie, Sean Cleary who got the start on the evening.

The 3rd period would see a flurry of goals by both teams, but each time the Grizzlies took the lead, whether it was Jake Emilio or later Brett Gruber's goal, the Capitals would answer right back. And so it was on to overtime for the two clubs, just as they did two weeks earlier on the last Tooney Tuesday at The Q Centre.

The OT session would witness the first moment of serious controversy in the hockey game. Only two minutes into the OT, the Grizzlies would appear to have won the game after Matt Kennedy made a nifty move at the top of the point and after moving into the high slot to take a wrist shot, his shot would fly off either the back post or the crossbar. Referee Jarrett Taylor would quickly call no goal and wash out the play but after looking at the video post game, there was a clear and distinctive shadow inside the net when played in slow motion. Regardless, the play was ruled no goal and after the teams traded several close chances the Grizzlies would be called for Too Many Men after the linesman called the Grizzlies during a line change which took just a moment too long for his liking and he was able to count 5 Grizzlies skaters during the change.

Facing a 4-3 man advantage for the Capitals, the Grizzlies would block shots, including one off the left shin pad of Meirs Moore, only to see the stalwart defenseman stay in the play while in obvious pain. But it wasn't enough and too many penalties was what in the end would cost the Grizzlies the game after Sean Harrison would sneak in from the left faceoff circle and fire the OT winner past Cleary, 4-3 would be the final.

So 2015 will see the Grizzlies enter the New Year on a two game home ice losing streak with the Cowichan Valley Capitals returning in just three nights to play the Grizzlies in a second back to back visit to the Q Centre. With that said, the team did earn one of those ever so valuable single points with the OT and it was enough to keep the Grizzlies ever so slowly edging their way up the Island Division standings; the Grizzlies sit alone in 2nd Place at 40 points with games in hand on both Nanaimo and Powell River who sit in 3rd Place chasing the Clippers.

On to January and February with its 12 and 11 games left to play respectively, there are plenty of points out there as the Grizzlies embark on the run up to the playoffs. Tighter defensive zone coverage, a continued commitment to excellent Special Teams play and solid goaltending have been the hallmarks on the season thus far and with the renewed confidence on the bench, I like where this team is trending heading into the final chapter of this dramatic regular season. Happy New Year everybody. -CC

Gonna Fly Now: Grizzlies 5-2 Over Kings

Remember that scene in Rocky?  You know the one.  His life is in the toilet but he wants things to change. He gets up in the dark, drinks down that cup of raw eggs and sets out alone into the cold Philadelphia streets to run alone, to try and get back in shape.  Set to a melodic piano, that famous theme starts ever so slowly but you can't quite make out the tune, not yet anyway. Ultimately the scene ends with Rocky out of breath and in pain. He is bent over and in self-disgust at the top of those steps, as he accepts the sad state of not only his fitness as a prize fighter but over his life as a whole.  That was Rocky's bottom.  And its funny because you ask most fans of that movie and they can't remember that scene, but in many ways, it was the most important moment of the film.

Well forget that scene, because that's not where the Grizzlies are at the moment, that scene is well in the past and may have happened for the team several weeks ago.  Maybe it was that 10-4 loss in Trail, maybe it was the 4-1 loss in Vernon and that long Sunday bus ride back to Victoria. Maybe that depressing scene in Rocky, at least for the Grizzlies this year, might have been that last loss in Nanaimo, that OT loss where after the game then Head Coach Brad Knight collected all the water bottles and towels himself and walked down the player's tunnel alone, for the last time. But make no mistake, somewhere, at some point, that sad scene in Rocky has already occurred in this 2014/15 Grizzlies campaign.

I was reminded of that scene again last night. In fact, I haven't told anybody this yet, but I have been hearing that piano and that famous melody in my head a lot this year as I have watched this team struggle. Later in the movie comes that even more iconic scene. It takes place after Rocky does a lot of training and work. That's the scene everybody remembers. Rocky finally reaches the top of the steps of The Philadelphia Museum of Art, the building with all those steps. Few who visit Philadelphia today pass up the chance to climb those steps known affectionately as the "Rocky Steps".  There are 72 of them in case you were interested. The top of the steps offers a commanding view of the city itself and of course,  Philadelphia City Hall. When you jog to the top of them and I have BTW (pretty sure I am not the first geek to try it), you feel pretty winded, but you always hear that music, from the song Gonna Fly Now in your ears.

You can't explain it, you just sort of hear it.

 

But I don't see the Grizzlies at the top of the steps.  Not yet anyway.  They are indeed somewhere in that movie's running montage, but definitely before the part where Rocky gets to the top of the steps. Maybe its that part of his jog where that Philadelphia street merchant, calls out to him and tosses him a piece of fruit as the hero, runs faster and faster through the city streets. "Getting strong now".

And that was the Grizzlies team I saw last night. Down 1-0 early after a Jordan Burns Power Play goal, the Grizzlies would answer quickly. On the PP themselves, it would be Matt Kennedy scoring his 12th goal of the year after a nice set up by Dane Gibson and red hot defenseman, playing forward on the night, Kevin Massy. Just three minutes later the Grizzlies would take the lead themselves and this time for good. It was Duluth Minn native, Meirs Moore with the go ahead goal after his laser beam point shot found the top of the net over the shoulder of Kings net minder, Stefan Wornig. Newcomer, forward Nick Guiney would pick up an assist on the play, recording his first ever point in the BCHL. "Won't be long now".

The second period would see that Grizzlies lead extended further just a minute into the frame with another defenseman contributing to the offense. This time it was Cody Van Lierop, scoring his 4th of the season, his goal coming via even strength after more Grizzlies slick passing by Dane Gibson and Brett Gruber. This goal would see Kings Coach Kent Lewis elect for a change in net, swapping out Wornig for veteran Brett Magnus. But slick Grizzlies passing was the story of the entire evening, as the 3rd period would see the home team do more of the same, this time scoring two more goals on the Powerplay. The first was Jake Emilio with one of his trademark left sided one timer slap-shots which beat Magnus. Then Jay Mackie doing the same late in the period on the PP with an open net available to him after a Garret Forster rebound.  That Mackie marker put the game out of reach. It was his 12th goal on the season and it came just one minute after a "too little too late goal" by Powell River forward Liam Lawson which at the time had temporarily made the score 4-2.  "Gonna Fly Now".

But 5-2 was how the game would end to the delight of the 972 fans on hand.  It was the second consecutive Grizzlies home game to see another modest bump in attendance.  This much maligned but financially vital statistic has been the source of much local media concern over the first half of the season.  But the nearly 1,000 fans who filed into the Q Centre were there to support their home team as they do every year. Plus, it all occurred on a Saturday night with the Vancouver Canucks hosting the New York Rangers on Hockey Night In Canada. On most nights that can hurt the size of the walk up crowd. But not on this night. Instead, a very loud and well attended game was what the evening held for everyone involved and all left the building properly entertained. "Getting Higher".

The Grizzlies went 3 for 6 on the PP and looked dangerous all night including when they were at even strength.  The team's PP now sits at 26.66% which is good enough for 2nd Place in league standings.  Meirs Moore, Michael Stiliadis and Jake Emilio were all game stars 1st through 3rd respectively, along with P.J. Conlon as the Fortis Energy Player of the Game.  But the real unsung hero in my view was #5 Chris Harpur who pounded bodies all night and had arguably his strongest game of the season. "Getting Higher".

So that's about how I see the Grizzlies right at the moment in mid December. They aren't at the top of the steps just yet but they are getting there, one step at a time. I was always a big fan of the theme of redemption in films, it just kind of grabs something inside me and I am not sure why. Rocky along with the 2014/15 Grizzlies are both stories of redemption and I would put this club right now somewhere around step #53 at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Not a bad place to be, two weeks before Christmas."Gonna Fly Now".

And a special shout out and thanks to last year's Team Captain, Mark McLellan who joined myself and Scott Didmon in the Broadcast Booth during the Second Period Intermission to share his thoughts on the Grizzlies, hockey and his new life in the NCAA. Thanks again Mark. The Grizzlies host the Cowichan Valley Capitals at The Q Centre on Tuesday night. Don't forget it will be the club's first "Tooney Tuesday" and that means that anyone can get in as a walk-up fan for only $2.

Now if you will excuse me but its a picture perfect Sunday afternoon in Langford today. And I am not sure why, but I suddenly had a craving for a big glass of raw eggs followed by a quick jog up Mill Hill behind my house. There is a great view when you get to the top.

I won't forget my MP3 Player either, I think I know just the song. -CC

Home & Home Sweep Complete: Grizzlies 3-2 Over Clippers

Five games vs the same Nanaimo Clippers in less than 2 months may seem to some people as an unbalanced and unfair layout of the BCHL schedule is you were a Grizzlies fan. But from the detached and unbiased view of a hockey broadcaster I view it more as an unbalanced and unfair layout of the BCHL schedule.

Nevertheless the Grizzlies were completely ready to face the BCHL goal scoring leaders and high flying Nanaimo Clippers last night as the Clippers bus sailed into the Q Centre for no less than the third time this young season. And it was the dauntless Grizzlies who stood victorious at Centre Ice saluting the 700+ fans last night to thank those who braved a rainy Colwood evening for their support, each witness to a 3-2 comeback win by the home team.

It was the second game of a quick two game Home and Home Series with the Clippers before the Grizzlies kick off a three game weekend with Powell River on Saturday night and the Trail Smoke Eaters on Sunday. The Grizzlies had already won the first half of the series with a dramatic 5-4 win thanks in large part to a late Power Play goal off the stick of a defenseman, Zach Dixon on Wednesday night. Two days later it would be another dramatic win for Victoria. Once again the victory would come at the hands of a defenseman on a late Power Play, this time 20 year old Jake Emilio. And the veteran D Man would make no mistake wiring a point shot into the back of the Nanaimo net, past a lunging Jakob Severson after a set up pass by teammate Kevin Massy.

The win, in conjunction with Wednesday's remarkable comeback at The Frank Crane Arena would vault the Grizzlies back into the conversation in the island standings. Heading into tonight's matchup in Powell River, the Grizzlies now sit only 3 points behind both Powell River and Alberni Valley, with a game in hand on the former. A Victoria win tonight would place the Grizzlies just a single point behind the two Island Division Clubs and create a virtual log jam of teams all fighting for that 2nd Place position in the division standings.

Dane Gibson, back in the lineup last night was a key piece of the comeback after tying the game on a beautiful wrist shot which beat Severson over the left shoulder and drew both teams level after a painful Nanaimo goal put the boatmen up 1-0 with only 0.3 seconds left in the 1st period. Most teams could crumple and panic after going down 1-0 so late in a period, but no these Grizzlies, they literally thrive on this kind of  a challenge.

The night's #1 Star however was net minder, Michael Stiliadis, who stopped  30 of 32 shots he faced and only allowed two goals against the "103 Goals so far this season" Clippers. The Victoria goalie may not have been solely responsible for the win but without some of his dramatic late sprawling saves, the score would likely have been very different. Brett Gruber scored Victoria's second goal of the night off an incredible display of hands, batting down a Garrett Forster pass mid-air to score his team leading 11th of the campaign.

"The Kings of Drama", but hopefully not too road weary Grizzlies take their potent #1 Power Play on the road at 5pm Saturday to take on Powell River at the Hap Parker Arena and then return that evening on the late ferry to the island as they prepare to return to the Q Centre Sunday to face the Trail Smokeaters who will also be in action on Saturday night in Nanaimo. Game time sunday at The Q Centre is 2:00pm.  - CC

Grizzlies Overcome Early Deficit Against Kings

     The Victoria Grizzlies didn't make it easy on themselves on a Saturday night showdown against an Island Division rival, the Powell River Kings. The Grizzlies failed to step on the ice on time, ending up in a 2 minute minor for delay of game because of the late arrival of the home team. The early penalty would prove to be costly, as a nice move by Jarid Lukosevicius left a wide open Stephen Hiff who finished the pretty passing play to give the Kings an early 1-0 lead. The Kings wouldn't stop there, as just over a minute later it would be chaos in front of the net, and Jacob Pritchard would put one past a completely disoriented Mike Stiliadis to give the Kings a commanding 2-0 lead just a couple of minutes into the hockey game. Grizzlies head coach Brad Knight would settle down his troops and the Victoria squad would control the pace of the play after the Pritchard goal. Midway through the frame, it would be Jay Mackie taking the reception from his linemates and snapping one past red-hot Kings goaltender Brett Magnus to cut the Kings lead in half heading to the dressing room for the first intermission.

     Whatever message Brad Knight had for his players definitely worked, as the Grizzlies completely dominated the second frame. The Grizzlies were outshooting the Kings 31-11 as the period drew to an end. It would be at the midway point of the second that the Grizzlies would finally get their equalizer, as Matt Kennedy made a smart play to swipe the puck off the falling Brett Gruber and found a wide open Dane Gibson at the side of the net who made no mistake. The Grizzlies would take their first lead of the hockey game late in the second period, as Zach Dixon tee'd up a one-timer for Meirs Moore who's point rocket would find it's way through traffic and beat a screened Magnus to give the home team the advantage heading into the third and final frame.

     One goal games have been a recurring theme this season, and it was down to the wire once again on Saturday night as the two teams went back and forth all the way to the final buzzer. There was chances both ways, with both goaltenders needing some help from their goal posts throughout the period. The Grizzlies took three consecutive penalties in the third, but thanks to some stellar defence and a couple of key saves from Stiliadis, Victoria was able to fend off the Kings' offence each time. It would be Matt Kennedy putting the icing on the cake late, as the Kings pulled the goalie late and came up empty, as Kennedy slid his third point of the night into a yawning cage to secure the 4-2 victory on home ice.

     Despite a horrendus start to the game and a rough patch to start the third period, the Grizzlies were able to shut down the Kings' top line and worked the cycle well in the offensive end to sustain constant pressure on the attack. Matt Kennedy was great in the game, posting the dagger late and tacking on two assists in the victory. Although he had a rough start, Mike Stiliadis was able to settle down and stop every shot from the 2-0 goal on en-route to his second win in as many nights. The Grizzlies snap the Kings' four-game win streak and will take three of four points on the weekend homestand. The Grizzlies now get another six days of rest before hitting the road next weekend for a tough three opponents in three nights. In the outcome, it wasn't a one-goal game on the score sheet, but it was still a close game until the end, further solidifying the Grizzlies identity as "the Drama Kings." -TB