Colwood, BC ~ The Alberni Valley Bulldogs held off the Grizzlies en route to a 5-2 victory on Friday night at the Q Centre in Colwood.
Alberni Valley got eight minutes of power plays in the opening nine minutes and used that to net a man-advantage tally in the first five minutes. After navigating with limited damage three five-on-threes in the opening ten minutes, the Grizzlies drew level heading into the first intermission on Max Silver’s sixth of the year.
The Bulldogs got more special teams luck in the second when they first scored a short-handed goal and then another power-play tally at 12:02 to lead 3-1. Victoria answered back to pull within one, a minute and a half later, off the stick of Sam Rousseau (8), but that would be as close as they got.
Alberni Valley restored a two-goal lead halfway through the third before icing the game with an empty netter with three minutes and change remaining in the contest to secure the 5-2 final score.
Paolo Frasca made 36 saves on 40 shots for the Grizzlies while Ryder Shea stopped 22 of 24 in the Bulldogs crease.
Victoria is back in action tomorrow night at the Alberni Valley Multiplex to close out a home and home with the Bulldogs with puck drop going at 7:00 p.m. from Port Alberni.
