Looking for a win over an elite club and to close the gap on the league leaders, the Victoria Grizzlies earned a key 5-1 win over the visiting Powell River Kings on Friday night at Bear Mountain Arena.
It was Victoria’s second win in six attempts against the B.C. Hockey League’s top club.
Unfortunately, it came in front of yet another small crowd, which proves the new Grizzlies’ ownership group has to come up with innovative ways to get fans back in the building.
The victory — Powell River’s first regulation time loss on the road this season — should attract some fans for Sunday afternoon’s home game against Penticton, which moved into a tie for first overall with the Kings with the Vees’ win in Chilliwack on Friday. Victoria is just a point back of both, but has played three more games than the Kings and one more than Penticton.
The Grizzlies were full marks for Friday’s effort, in particular the No. 1 unit of Gerry and Myles Fitzgerald and Jesse Schwartz, and goaltender Nic Renyard, who was solid.
Gerry Fitzgerald had three goals — now with 20 on the year — while brother Myles had three helpers and Schwartz added a pair of assists.
“We were going tonight. We were moving the puck well and using our skills to our advantage,” said Gerry, who recorded his fourth multi-goal game of the season, but first hat-trick.
“Last game they pretty much embarrassed us here [a 6-3 loss last Saturday] and we knew we had to get back in their faces. The goal is first place and we have couple of more big games this weekend,” added Gerry.
The Grizzlies are in Port Alberni tonight against the Bulldogs.
Gerry Fitzgerald snapped in his first goal on a power play at 8:25 of the first not too long after Renyard got across to make a delicious pad save on Jarid Lukosevicius. Fitzgerald then one-timed his second at 9:45 of the second period and made it a natural hat-trick at 15:40.
Garrett Forster, on a nice feed from Jay Mackie, made it 4-0 at 2:06 of the third, his 10th goal in 12 games for the Grizzlies. Curtis McCarrick finally broke Renyard just 54 seconds later and Mackie made it 5-1 with just 2:38 to go.
Victoria also killed off a two-man advantage for 1:27 late in the first.
“The guys were on and they were focused,” said head coach Craig Didmon. “They worked hard. I thought we out-worked that team tonight.”
IN THE DEN: Pete Zubersky’s title has gone from director of operations to general manager.
mannicchiarico@timescolonist.com
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