A staggering 44 points separated the top Island Division team from the bottom heading into Friday night’s encounter at Bear Mountain Arena.
One could hardly tell as the basement-dwelling Cowichan Valley Capitals toppled the Victoria Grizzlies — who are also the No. 1 team in the entire B.C. Hockey League — 6-2 in front of a stunned Bear Mountain Arena crowd.
The Capitals made the Grizzlies pay on the power play, posting the stunner, which Victoria general manager and head coach Bill Bestwick was wary about heading into the game. “Obviously, we were not ready to play tonight, for one reason or another,” said Bestwick. “This team has done that to us twice now in this building. For our team to score twice and to allow six goals, despite one being an empty-netter, is absolutely not acceptable.
“We’ve only done that once or twice this year and, at this time of the year, giving up six is not acceptable.”
Former Grizzlies’ forward Garrett Skirbich and Jesse Neher scored power-play goals 3:36 apart in the latter stages of the first period as the Capitals opened up a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes.
It got chippy in the last few seconds of the first as Karver Everson was called for a major for a blow to the head and a game misconduct. But David Mazurek took a slashing minor and a 10-minute misconduct and Kade Pilton was fingered for roughing, all at 19:57.
The Capitals made the Grizzlies pay again with a third power-play goal just 46 seconds into the second as Kyle Horsman made it 3-0. Neher collected his second of the night for Cowichan at 13:49 of the second, leaving the crowd silenced.
Mazurek and Leo Fitzgerald finally got pucks by Capitals goaltender Patrick Spano at 6:06 and 16:09 of the third period, respectively, to give the fans something to cheer about. But Luke Gordon made it 5-2 late in the game and Grant Nicholson added an empty-netter for the Capitals, who also received three assists from Jarrett Brown.
Mike Stiliadis took the loss in goal for Victoria.
The two teams meet again tonight at 7 at the Island Savings Centre in Duncan.
Myles Fitzgerald, who returned to the Grizzlies’ lineup wearing a full cage, failed to cash in on a penalty shot awarded midway through the first period. He had his 21-game point-scoring streak snapped as he left the game in the second period and did not return.
Jaden Schmeisser and Mark McLellan also all did not finish the game as the Grizzlies were down to 15 skaters by the third period.
“We had a full roster to start the game and we were down 2-0 after one,” Bestwick said, not using that as an excuse.
Despite the loss, the Grizzlies remain one point up on Penticton for the overall league lead as the Vees lost 5-2 at home to Merritt.
IN THE DEN: D.J. Jones (illness) sat out for the Grizzlies and Gerry Fitzgerald remains out of the lineup due to injury.
mannicchiarico@timescolonist.com
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| SCORING SUMMARY |
| PERIOD 1 |
| Cowichan Valley Capitals at 16:15 (PP) – Garrett Skrbichfrom Grant Nicholsonand Kyle Horsman |
| Cowichan Valley Capitals at 19:52 (PP) – Jesse Neherfrom Jarrett Brownand Jamie Waddington |
| PERIOD 2 |
| Cowichan Valley Capitals at 0:46 (PP) – Kyle Horsmanfrom Jarrett Brownand Jamie Waddington |
| Cowichan Valley Capitals at 13:49 – Jesse Neherfrom Jarrett Brownand Luke Gordon |
| PERIOD 3 |
| Victoria Grizzlies at 6:06 – David Mazurekfrom Blake Thompsonand Stefan Nicholishen |
| Victoria Grizzlies at 16:09 – Leo Fitzgeraldfrom David Mazurekand Kade Pilton |
| Cowichan Valley Capitals at 16:58 – Luke Gordonfrom Jesse Neher |
| Cowichan Valley Capitals at 19:40 (SH) (EN)– Garrett Skrbichfrom Grant Nicholson |
| PENINSULA CO-OP GAS STATION: 3 STARS OF THE GAME | ||
| 1st STAR |
| |