It was Valentine’s Day, but there was very little love being shared at The Q Centre — at least on the ice.
In a rough-and-tumble outing, the Victoria Grizzlies defeated the Prince George Spruce Kings 6-2 in B.C. Hockey League play, a game that included a hit-to-the-head minor penalty and 10-minute misconduct to go with it for Grizzly defenceman Jake Emilio.
Cupid wasn’t firing any little arrows, but there were plenty of hits to go around. The Grizzlies ultimately managed to present their fans with a fine bouquet, by way of an important two points as they improved to 24-18-1-10.
Dane Gibson scored a pair of goals and added an assist to pace the locals after a five-assist night in Friday’s 8-4 win over the Alberni Valley Bulldogs.
“He’s working extremely hard in practice and the gym and it’s paying off for him,” Grizzlies general manager and head coach Craig Didmon said of Gibson, who now has 27 goals to go with his 52 assists.
“It’s a great story, a local kid finishing his junior career in Victoria, his home town, and he’s putting up some good numbers.”
Cole Pickup, Ayden MacDonald, Brett Gruber and Zach Dixon all scored for the second straight night as well for the Grizzlies, who scored early in all three periods to gain a jump on the Spruce Kings. Cole McCaskill and Brogan O’Brien had the Prince George goals.
Sean Cleary made 20 saves to earn the win in goal while Crofton product Jesse Jenks faced 30 for PG.
While the Grizzlies were pulling out the win, the Bulldogs dumped the Merritt Centennials to stay within two points of Victoria for third place. Didmon’s troops did move within three points of idle Powell River in second place in the Island Division with the Grizzlies still holding one game in hand.
Victoria travels to Port Alberni on Wednesday.
