Chilliwack, BC ~ The Victoria Grizzlies scored four unanswered from the 6:05 mark of the third on to come from three goals down and defeat the Chilliwack Chiefs 6-5 in overtime on Friday night from the Chilliwack Coliseum.
In the first, Chilliwack jumped ahead on a crease scramble goal from Dustin Renas (7th) at 4:24, and the Chiefs would weather some Grizzlies’ pushes to lead after twenty minutes.
The Chiefs made it two with Nico Grabas (8th), finishing a two-on-zero passing play with Boris Borin just 1:36 into the second frame.
Victoria showed serious heart by scoring twice in three minutes to tie the game. First, Sam Rousseau (12th) sniped a wrist shot top left corner before Artur Gross (5th) took advantage of a loose puck behind Chilliwack netminder David Di Girolamo, and the game was tied at 15:02.
An undisciplined penalty would then prove costly for the Grizzlies as Dustin Renas (8th) scored his second of the game on the ensuing man advantage before Ryan Small beat a Grizzly wide and muscled a puck home at 18:10 to restore the Chilliwack two-goal lead heading into the third. Victoria outshot the Chiefs 17-9 in the second.
It looked all but over when A.J. Schaaf (3rd) made it 5-2 56 seconds into the third, but Victoria had other ideas. They got three goals in 64 seconds to tie the game at five. First, Sam Rousseau (13th) found the net for a second time on the evening at 6:05 before Landon Mackie (6th) ripped it top shelf at 6:50 to make it a one-goal game. 19 seconds later, Max Silver (14th) got in on the scoring parade at 7:09 to unbelievably tie the game at five and send it to overtime.
During the three-on-three overtime period, the game went back and forth with chances on both ends and Spencer Michnik was forced into six extra time saves in his Grizzlies debut, weathering the storm. Victoria then caught the Chiefs out on a three-on-two and Matthew Jenken (3rd) beat Di Girolamo from the left side at 7:52 to end it right there and send the Grizzlies bench into a frenzy.
Michnik got the win in his first game with Victoria, making 40 saves on 45 shots, while David Di Girolamo made 42 saves on 48 shots in the Chiefs crease.
Victoria is back in action tomorrow night at 5:00 p.m. from the Lodge in Langley for their first meeting of the year with the Rivermen.
