Victoria Grizzlies News

EAGLES SOAR OVER GRIZZLIES IN OT

EAGLES SOAR OVER GRIZZLIES IN OT

October 24, 2009 Sharie Epp ©Times Colonist - URREY —

Not much separates first place and fourth place in the Coastal Conference, if last night’s game between the Victoria Grizzlies and Surrey Eagles was any indication.

A battle from start to finish, the game was finally won 3-2 by Surrey, when former Grizzlie Chris Santiago burned his former team at 3:41 of the second overtime period.

“I think we just do so many things good for such a young team,” assistant coach Wade Bartley said. “It’s so good this early in the year to compete with a first-place team.”

Next up for the Grizzlies, now 7-5-1-2, are the third-place Langley Chiefs today, when they get their first look at the $57.4 -million Langley Events Centre, in a 7 p.m. faceoff. The Grizz wind up their Mainland tour tomorrow afternoon in Burnaby.

The Grizzlies boarded the bus without Teal Burns and Todd Gebert, who were traded earlier in the day to the Nanaimo Clippers for defenceman Jake Baker. The deal that brought Brandon Fagerheim from Nanaimo to Victoria was also part of the mix.

With veterans Jordan Heywood and Brad Pawlawski on the ice for 35 to 40 minutes a game, Grizzlies coach/GM Victor Gervais felt the team needed a solid defenceman.

Baker, 18, is a six-footfour 205-pounder who started the season with the Merritt Centennials, before being traded to the Clippers. In his rookie year with the Cents, he had 10 assists and 96 minutes in penalties.

“We believe he’ll be a top-four defenceman in this league,” Gervais said. “He’s got a great reach, and he plays tough.”

It didn’t take long before the reach came in handy.

Following up on their vow to start strong, the Grizzlies’ Greg Simpson converted the early effort at 1:08 of the first period. Seconds later, the first rush by the Eagles was thwarted when Baker stuck out his stick to divert a shot on a near breakaway.

“The fact that he didn’t have a warmup, because of traffic, and it was his first time meeting everyone, I think he played exceptional,” Bartley said.

The Eagles got stronger as the period progressed, and fourth-liner Bradley McGowan scored his second goal of the season on a rebound to even it up at 14:16. Surrey coach Shane Kuss said it’s been different players stepping up every night that’s taken the Eagles (14-5-0-1) to first place in the Coastal Conference.

“All four lines are chipping in,” Kuss said. “They’re playing well at the right time.”

The game had few penalties, but it was a power play gone awry that resulted in Surrey’s second goal, when Tyler Morley scored shorthanded at 14:03 of the second period.

Derek Bacon locked the game at 2-2 at 6:57 of the third period, when he stole the puck beside the Surrey net, and flicked it sideways into the net. Both sides pressed hard for the winner, but the game was destined for overtime.

Victoria goaltender Richard Virtanen robbed Grant Toulmin in the first overtime, and was terrific in the second, but in the end, the Grizzlies couldn’t handle the three-on-three speed and pressure of the Eagles.

Virtanen saved 33 shots for Victoria, and Vinny Lessard stopped 34 for Surrey. BEAR TRACKS:

A big cheering section of fans have followed the Grizzlies to the Mainland for the trio of road games. There was also talk about taking in the B.C. Football Conference semifinal between the Victoria Rebels and South Surrey Rams. … Surely one of the longest surnames in the BCHL must be that of Eagles defenceman Wes Vannieuwenhuizen. … College scouts get around. Last night, one from Vermont was eyeing the action.