Alberni Valley Bulldogs fans were busy shopping at Costco about 90 minutes before game time on Wednesday night.
Then they cashed in on an even bigger deal at a boisterous Bear Mountain Arena, watching their beloved Bulldogs win an Island Division title with a stunning 3-2 overtime victory over the Victoria Grizzlies.
It was the eighth time these two teams have played an extra session this season and second straight night. The Bulldogs won 4-3 on Tuesday.
Affiliated player Mak Barden scored just 18 seconds into overtime after scoring twice the night previous.
Manny Gialedakis, on a breakaway, and Jared Wilson, on a power play, scored second-period goals to help clinch the best-of-five B.C. Hockey League playoff series in Game 5. Port Alberni will now play the Surrey Eagles for the Coastal Conference crown, starting Friday on the mainland.
Once the fans rolled into the Juan de Fuca recreation area parking lot, they were welcomed by a pickup with a scissor lift and red and black balloons with signs reading: “Who let the Dogs out” and “Go ABV Dogs go.”
The Dogs were tenacious pit bulls all series, completing comebacks from 1-0 and 2-1 series’ deficits against Victoria.
Not as dramatic as their bounce back after they were down 0-2 to Nanaimo in Round 1, but close.
Leo Fitzgerald opened the scoring on the power play for Victoria with his sixth of the post-season midway through the first period on a feed from brother Myles Fitzgerald.
Gialedakis was awarded a penalty shot but was turned away by Grizzlies goaltender Brady Rouleau just over three minutes into the second.
The Grizzlies wasted back-to-back power plays midway through the second and, to rub salt in the wound, Gialedakis stepped out of the penalty box to score on breakaway to tie it 1-1 at 12:11, slipping the puck through Rouleau’s legs.
Then Jared Wilson rifled a one-timer on a Bulldogs’ power play with 34.4 seconds left in the second for a 2-1 lead with David Mazurek in the penalty box for goalie interference.
Victoria thought it had tied it at 12:49 of the third, but the referee had blown his whistle and waved it off immediately as the hosts whacked away at the puck in Jay Deo’s crease.
Shortly after, Deo then stoned Myles Powell alone in front.
Leo Fitzgerald finally knotted it up at 15:11 of the third on another assist to Myles.
All for naught, however.
Evan Tironese had three assists for the Bulldogs and Victoria didn’t get any secondary scoring.
The Grizzlies were 2:38 away from taking the series on Tuesday in Alberni before they let it get away. That will haunt them all off-season as they pack their bags and head off in separate ways.
Gone will be 20-year-olds Keyler Bruce and Pearce Eviston (both picked up at the trade deadline), David Mazurek, D.J. Jones and Blake Thompson.
Rouleau is headed to Quinnipiac University and Nolan DeJong is slated to attend Michigan leaving some holes in the lineup.
mannicchiarico@timescolonist.com
Twitter/tc_vicsports
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| SCORING SUMMARY |
| PERIOD 1 |
| Victoria Grizzlies at 9:46 (PP) – Leo Fitzgerald from Kade Pilton and Myles Fitzgerald |
| PERIOD 2 |
| Alberni Valley Bulldogs at 12:11 – Manny Gialedakis from Evan Tironese |
| Alberni Valley Bulldogs at 19:25 (PP) – Jared Wilson from Evan Tironese and Bo Pellah |
| PERIOD 3 |
| Victoria Grizzlies at 15:11 – Leo Fitzgerald from Myles Fitzgerald and Blake Thompson |
| OVERTIME PERIOD 1 |
| Alberni Valley Bulldogs at 0:18 – Mak Barden from Evan Tironese and Ryan Lough |
| PENINSULA CO-OP GAS STATION: 3 STARS OF THE GAME | ||
| 1st STAR | 2nd STAR | 3rd STAR |
| Alberni Valley Bulldogs Mak Barden |
| |