Above Photo: Grizzlies captain Jacksenn Hungle argues a call during Victoria’s game against Penticton on Wednesday evening(Photo: Garrett James Photography)
Chilliwack, BC ~ The Victoria Grizzlies fell in both of their 2024 BCHL Showcase matchups on Wednesday and Thursday this week to first the Penticton Vees and than to the Salmon Arm Silverbacks.
Victoria, who came into the showcase with an impressive 5-1-1 record, began the showcase with a heavy weight tilt with the Penticton Vees. The Vees are the reigning Interior Conference champions the past three years running.
A strong start from Victoria had them go up 1-0 on Malcolm Green’s third of the year after he tipped a Drew Hockley point shot past Penticton goaltender; Will Ingemann. Penticton would retake the momentum (as was a theme throughout the night) when their captain Cony Hellyer sent home a nice feed from former Surrey Eagle Ryden Evers.
With the game tied at one, Chase Pirtle took matters into his own hands and wired a wrist shot to the top left corner of the goal from the slot to give Victoria a 2-1 lead at the 13:06 mark of the opening frame. Penticton would once again answer back with their captain, as Hellyer found the back of the net on a shorthanded partial break when all of the ice seemed tilted in Victoria’s favor.
No scoring in the second saw the two teams head into the third deadlocked at two a piece. No one could’ve predicted the third period that was to follow.
Early in the third Chase Pirtle took a high stick from Penticton forward Anselmo Rego which went uncalled as Pirtle skated to the Grizzlies bench leaking and in need of some repairs. Victoria called for a penalty and than remembered that during the 2024 Showcase, the BCHL was doing a “pilot” run on coach’s challenges like we see in the NHL. “If I looked calm on the bench, I wasn’t,” laughed Rylan Ferster, Head Coach of the Grizzlies. “Credit to the man, John Smith (Grizzlies Equipment Manager) who had the tablet out on the bench,” he followed up with. The ensuing coach’s challenge resulted in an overturned call, a minute back on the clock and current penalty to Penticton’s Ben Merrill, and created a lengthy 5 on 3 for Victoria.
The Grizzlies would score on the 5 on 3 with Drew Hockley firing a one timer short side for his seventh of the year.
With all the chips seeming to be in Victoria’s hand, the Vee’s scored a wacky shorthanded goal which saw Max Heise bat at a 50/50 puck with Grizzlies defenseman Dan D’Alessandro and have it flutter up in the air and land behind Grizzlies goaltender; Tyler Hodges. That goal killed the Grizzlies momentum and a go ahead goal from Ryden Evers was not far behind at 13:16 for the Vees. Luke Posthumus would add one more for good measure at 15:59 to close things out and hand Victoria a 5-3 loss.
Thursday October 17, 2024
Victoria didn’t have much time to mull over their loss against Penticton as they were up and at ’em early in the morning for a 10:00 am puck drop against the Salmon Arm Silverbacks.
The Silverbacks had started the year well with a 6-2-1 record and certainly looked strong and structured throughout Thursday’s game. A short handed Victoria struggled to get much sustained pressure going with captain Jacksenn Hungle leaving the game against Penticton with injury and being out of the lineup Thursday and the same story being rerun for top line center; Tobias Pitka.
The Grizzlies were already without top pairing defenseman; Oscar Pantzare (who is day-to-day with an injury sustained in practice), rookie defenseman Carter Hynes (who broke his hand in the pre season) and franchise staple goaltender Oliver Auyeung Ashton (who has been out since the first weekend of the year).
The game was much less exciting to report on as there was just one goal to tell about and that was Sawyer Prokopetz for the ‘Backs in the second period, setting up a 1-0 Salmon Arm shutout win over the Grizzlies who dressed just 17 skaters.
What’s Next?
Victoria heads home to take on the Powell River Kings on Saturday night for a rematch of the opening weekend which saw Victoria win both games from the Hap Parker Arena in Powell River. The Kings have just one win through the first nine games of the year but are always a hungry team who plays hard. You can secure your seats today here for another “Saturday Night at the Q”
