Grizzlies defenceman Eii Barnett holds off Chilliwack Chiefs forward AJ Lacroix during BCHL action at The Q Centre. (ADRIAN LAM, TIMES COLONIST)
Abram Wiebe scored with 19 seconds remaining in overtime to give the Chilliwack Chiefs a 3-2 B.C. Hockey League victory Friday night before 1,130 fans at The Q Centre as the Victoria Grizzlies’ three-game winning streak became a four-game undefeated-in-regulation run.
Still, seven of a possible eight points is something the Grizzlies (5-4-3) will take after a slow start to the season.
“Unfortunately, we didn’t get the bounces early in the season but we are getting rewarded more now for our effort,” said Grizzlies GM and head coach Rylan Ferster.
“We are getting buy-in from the guys. Our guys realize how we have to play, which is primarily with good defence.”
The first period was scoreless before Dalton MacGillivray of the Chiefs (4-6-1) opened scoring in the second period at 9:30. Blueliner Eli Barnett, an NHL draft pick of the San Jose Sharks, leveled for the Grizzlies at 17:32 with his second goal of the season. MacGillivray’s second goal of the game put the Chiefs ahead early in the third period on the power play before the Grizzlies again tied it through Jacksenn Hungle’s third goal of the season at 12:34.
Austin McNicholas made 22 saves in goal for Chilliwack.
Oliver Auyeung-Ashton, who has recently been drawing the majority of starts in goal for Victoria ahead of NCAA Div. 1 Army-bound Ansel Holt, made 26 saves.
“Both our goalies have played well and shown they can play at this level,” said Ferster.
It makes it easier not having to rely on one goaltender, especially in back-to-back situations such as this, with the Grizzlies meeting the Surrey Eagles (9-2) tonight at The Q Centre.
Surrey has been an early-season standard-bearer in the BCHL Coastal Conference but was beaten 5-2 Friday night in Nanaimo by the Clippers (10-2), another strong contender in the conference.
“We never look ahead to games,” said Ferster.
“We don’t care who we play.”
cdheensaw@timescolonist.com
