The Victoria Grizzlies are at their stingiest, tight-checking best right now. Just ask the B.C. Hockey League regular-season-champion Surrey Eagles.
The Grizzlies and netminder Oliver Auyeung-Ashton stymied the league’s best offence in Game 1 of their Coastal Conference semifinal series, and Oliver Genest played hero in overtime as the Grizzlies edged the Eagles 2-1 at South Surrey Arena.
The teams traded goals two minutes apart late in the second period with Charlie Gollob scoring for the Grizzlies and Aaron Schwartz for the host Eagles, who finished 29 points in front the the conference fourth-place Grizzlies in the regular season standings.
Auyeung-Ashton made 33 saves to improve to 5-1 in the post-season, while Ajeet Gundarah made 40 saves in the Eagles’ net.
In the other Coastal Conference series, the Alberni Valley Bulldogs defeated the Chilliwack Chiefs 3-1 in Game 1 in Chilliwack on Friday night.
Brian Drewry – Times Colonist
