Victoria Grizzlies News

GRIZZLIES BOW TO KINGS IN POWELL RIVER

GRIZZLIES BOW TO KINGS IN POWELL RIVER

Assistant captain suffers broken leg

September 13, 2009 Sharie Epp ©Times Colonist -

In two separate games on Friday night, the Victoria Grizzlies and Powell River Kings scored a total of 14 goals. Last night, it took just one, as the Kings defeated the Grizzlies 1-0 at Powell River Recreation Complex.

Both teams came into yesterday’s game after winning their opening matchups of the B.C. Hockey League season. The Kings demolished the Alberni Valley Bulldogs 9-1, and the Grizzlies edged the Nanaimo Clippers 5-4 in Nanaimo.

The Victoria victory was tempered, however, by the loss of assistant captain Sean Robinson.

Off balance as he was hit into the end boards by former teammate Cody Bremner, Robinson, 18, suffered a broken femur — the leg bone between the knee and hip. The defenceman will be out until after Christmas, at least, and the Grizzlies will miss his veteran leadership on and off the ice. The good news on Friday night was the play of some of the team’s 12 rookies, among them speedy 18-year-old forward Dylan Nowakowski, who scored the gamewinner on a breakaway at 16:22 of the third period.

“I thought the boys played their hearts out,” Gervais said, referring particularly to the last frame. A run of Victoria penalties gave the Clippers several opportunities with the man advantage, including two five-on-three situations.

“The third period was a nightmare. Our guys battled hard. They found a way to win.”

New defenceman Brad Pawlowski was “excellent,” with a goal and an assist, and goaltender Richie Virtanen had a great start to the season, as Nanaimo outshot Victoria 49-33.

Last night’s game, on the other hand, was a defensive nailbiter, and chippy as well. Twenty penalties were called in the first period, kicked off by a battle between Pawlowski and Powell River’s Alex McDougall.

Tempers cooled in the second, but nobody was able to score, until 20-yearold winger Ben Schmidt deflected the puck past Virtanen for the game’s only goal, 41 seconds into the final period.

Virtanen was the game’s second star, while Kings goalie Michael Garteig, a rookie playing his first BCHL game, earned the No. 1 star. Shots were 33-28 for the Kings.

The Grizzlies are in Port Alberni on Friday, before playing the Clippers in their home opener at Bear Mountain Arena next Saturday, starting at 7:15 p.m.