Above Photo: Grizzlies goaltender Oliver Auyeung-Ashton makes a save during Friday night’s win (Photo: Alicia Baas Photography)
Powell River, BC ~ The Victoria Grizzlies defeated the Powell River Kings 6-5 in the first game of their 2024-25 season from the Hap Parker Arena.
Victoria got the ball rolling at the 5:56 mark as Chase Pirtle buried his own rebound to stake the Grizzlies to an early lead. Pirtle is fresh off a 25 goal campaign and seems to be ready to pick up right where he left off.
Powell River would tie the game less than three minutes last with Christian Maro finding the back of the goal with a sneaky backhander from the bottom of the right circle.
Victoria took the lead back with two tallies in less than thirty seconds with first Tobias Pitka burying a wrist shot from the high slot on the power play and than Ryan Watt firing a wrist shot to the top right corner of the goal on a breakaway, staking Victoria to a two goal advantage after 20.
Michael Mardula got the Kings within one in the first five minutes of the second period, before Victoria retook their two goal lead at the 14:54 mark due to a Drew Hockley one timer on the powerplay finding its way home. Reegan Hisock would score less than two and a half minutes later on a point shot rebound two put Victoria up 5-2 going into the third.
A wacky final frame would begin with Julian Cull burying a 2-1 chance for the Grizzlies in the first 30 seconds.
Powell River responded with three unanswered goals at the 5:27, 10:03 and 18:15 marks with the latter being one that made the game very interesting. That was a close as they would come however as the Grizzlies closed out the game strong and steered the game home.
Victoria starts the season 1-0 for the first time since 2021-22 and most impressively was the fact that all six goals came from different scorers.
Reegan Hiscock took home third star of the game with a goal and an assist performance and Chase Pirtle was awarded second star of the gamed with the same goal and assist stat line.
Oliver Auyeung-Ashton made 32 saves on 37 shots in net for the Grizzlies.
Victoria is back in action tomorrow night at 5:00 pm PT from the Hap Parker Arena.
