By Jonathan Hodgson
PHOTO CREDIT: Kyle Robinson Photography
October 9, 2016
Playing without leading scorer Cole Pickup, the Victoria Grizzlies needed the supporting cast to step up on Sunday afternoon when they faced off against the Chilliwack Chiefs at the Q Centre in Victoria.
Unfortunately, a lack of offensive punch combined with penalty trouble did in the Grizzlies as Chilliwack handed them just their second regulation loss of the season.
The Grizzlies entered the game leading the Island Division with 16 points (6-1-2-2-1), two points ahead of the Cowichan Valley Capitals, and third overall in the BCHL, two points back of the league-leading Penticton Vees.
The Chiefs meanwhile, began the day second place in the Mainland Division with 13 points (6-3-1-0-1), four points behind the Wenatchee Wild.
The Grizzlies were playing without Pickup who began the day in a three-way tie for second in the BCHL for point scoring. The 20 year-old standout who is also second in the league with eight goals as well as his 18 points (BCHL Stats link– http://bchl.ca/team-stats) was away from the team on a college visit.
A tight-checking first period did not see the Grizzlies record their first shot until after the ten minute mark as both teams struggled to gain traction in the early stages. The Chiefs however made two glaring mistakes, and one would prove costly.
Midway through the period, the Grizzlies’ Cameron Thompson was turned away on a glove save by Chilliwack goaltender Mark Sinclair on a breakaway chance to keep the game scoreless.
The Chiefs did not get away with their breakdown of the period however.
With just over two minutes remaining in the first, Jamie Rome buried his fourth goal of the season capping a two-on-none rush with Lucas Clark to put Victoria ahead going into the break despite Chilliwack holding a modest 7-5 lead on the shot clock.
After both teams killed off one penalty in the first period, the Grizzlies found themselves shorthanded four times in the second and it caught up with them.
Chilliwack pulled even with a powerplay marker early in the second. With Grizzlies captain Cody Van Lierop in the box, Chiefs captain Jordan Kawaguchi banged home his seventh goal of the year from just outside the crease tying the game at one.
With under three minutes remaining in the middle frame, the Chiefs took a 2-1 lead on their second powerplay goal of the period, the second goal of the season for Jake Smith. Kawaguchi drew the second assist on the goal for his second point of the game.
The Chiefs carried the one-goal lead into the final 20 minutes with a shot edge of 17-16.
Just 28 seconds into the third period, Chilliwack pulled ahead by two thanks to Kohen Olischefski’s fourth tally of the year to make it 3-1.
The Chiefs came out aggressively to start the third, firing the first six shots in the opening moments of the period in the direction of Grizzlies netminder Matthew Galajda, who made 20 stops on Sunday.
Unlike Friday when they erased a three-goal deficit to defeat Cowichan Valley, 4-3 in double overtime, the Grizzlies had no such dramatics in store on Sunday. Much like the opening stanza, they needed more than ten minutes to record their first shot of the third period. The Grizzlies recorded 23 shots on goal but were unable to manufacture many high-quality scoring chances.
Chilliwack made things difficult on themselves, taking back-to-back penalties with under ten minutes remaining, but Victoria was unable to mount any significant attack as the Chiefs were able to hang on for the 3-1 win.
Special teams were a key factor in the game with Chilliwack going 2-5 on the powerplay while the Grizzlies were 0-4.
With a goal and an assist, the Chiefs’ Jordan Kawaguchi led all skaters with two points.
With the win, Chilliwack now has 15 points (7-3-1-0-1) and remains second place in the Mainland Division. The Grizzlies remain second in the Island Division.
The Grizzlies next action is Friday, October 14 at the Q Centre when they host the division rival Cowichan Capitals in the rematch of the double overtime thriller on October 7 won by the Grizzlies by a score of 4-3. Puck drop is at 7:00pm.
