Victoria Grizzlies News
GOALIE KEEPS GRIZZLIES ON TOPOctober 25, 2009 Sharie Epp ©Times Colonist - LANGLEY — There’s nothing like close games to build character, and the Victoria Grizzlies are getting plenty of those lately. After a 3-2 double overtime loss in Surrey on Friday, the Grizzlies rebounded with a 4-1 victory over the Langley Chiefs yesterday, in a game that was much closer than it sounds. In the second of a threegame Lower Mainland road trip that moves to Burnaby today (2:30 p.m. start), the Grizzlies got into instant penalty trouble in the impressive, nearly finished Langley Event Centre. The Grizz wound up being outshot 20-8 in the first period, and were lucky to escape with a 1-1 tie. “They were all over us,” assistant coach Dean Whitney said. “[Goaltender Richard Virtanen] held us in there.” Jared Eng struck at 3:34 to get the Grizzlies on the scoreboard, but the teams were even by the break, after Josh Meyers replied at 9:19 for Surrey. The Grizzlies came out of the dressing room energized in the second period, apparently on a mission to make up for lost time — and stay out of the penalty box. Given the advantage of some Langley power plays, they pressured the Chiefs zone, outshot them 14-5, and did everything but score. “With our speed, we were creating a lot of chances,” Whitney said, noting the Chiefs were playing their third game in three days. On one rush, Alex Allan, one of several Grizzlies and Chiefs players battling the flu, zeroed in on Chiefs goalie Matt Green, but hit the goal post. In the third, it was more of the same, and it seemed impossible the puck didn’t find the net on one flurry of net-crashing. Finally, the Victoria efforts were rewarded. Spencer Copp nailed a rebound to give the Grizzlies a 2-1 lead at 2:56 of the third, and Allan got the insurance goal at 15:37. The Chiefs turned up the heat, pulling Green and using a Victoria penalty for a two-man advantage late in the game, but Virtanen, the game’s first star, was invincible. The only goal was an empty-netter by Victoria’s Joel Lowry. “[Virtanen] is one of those guys who came into camp as a virtual unknown,” Whitney said. “He’s been unbelievable under pressure.” Final shots were 36-33 for the Grizzlies.
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