POWER PLAY PAYS OFF FOR GRIZZLIES

They got one last night, downing the Kings 9-2 in front of 2,042 fans at Bear Mountain Arena.

“Tonight was a big step in the right direction for us, going toward the playoffs,” Grizzlies coach Victor Gervais said. “We wanted to send a message, and we sent that message.”

The third-place Grizzlies, who’ll meet the Nanaimo Clippers in the first round of the postseason, are looking to hold that thought today, when they wrap up the regular season B.C. Hockey League schedule at home against the Cowichan Valley Capitals at 7 p.m.

Against the Kings, who clinched second place on Thursday, with a 10-4 win over Langley, the key for the Grizzlies was their power play. Victoria had gone 0-for-5 in the loss to Powell River. They rebounded by scoring five goals with the man advantage on 12 opportunities yesterday, beginning with a power-play goal by Dustin Mowrey at 2:44 of the first period. Daniel Carr tied it 11 for Powell River early in the second period, and Victoria’s Brandon Fagerheim and Powell River’s Justin Dasilva exchanged powerplay goals to even it 2-2 midway through the second, in what appeared destined to be a close one.

Madison Dias, at full strength, gave the Grizzlies a one-goal lead to take to the dressing room, but nobody could have forecast the Grizzlies would score six unanswered goals in the third period.

Graeme McCormack, Mike Tebbutt and Dias all knocked in power-play goals, and Jake Baker, Fagerheim, and Nick Buchanan picked up the others.

The Grizzlies had put in extra time practising their power play before regular practice last week, and the work produced dividends.

“We adjusted. It’s the best I’ve ever seen it,” Gervais said.