Above Photo: Julian Cull celebrates his goal in the first period (Photo: Kyle Robinson Photography)
Victoria, BC ~ The Victoria Grizzlies were able to hold off the Coquitlam Express on Friday night from the Q Centre for a 6-5 shootout victory for their 17th win of the season.
Victoria was searching for some power play consistency after a streak where they had gone 1/17 and they got the fix early with a power play goal from Alex Hebblethwaite. He was able to tip a point shot from Seamus Latta home for his 14th tally of the year with Chase Pirtle picking up the secondary assist. James Shannon would tie the game with his 12th of the year at 9:09
Victoria would respond with two more of their own before the period was up. First it was Julian Cull with his fifth, finishing a rebound effort from Ryan Watt and than Stone Rolston had his own great finish after a two on one chance. That Rolston’s tally was his sixth putting the Grizzlies up by two after 20.
The second period was one where Victoria could not seem to get off the back foot with the Express outshooting them 19-8 and outscoring them 3-0. First it was Nate Crema’s 13th finishing a three on two, then it was Mason Kesselring’s 13th as well on a break away and finally Leo Eperjesi’s first BCHL goal with a nice shot to the top left corner from the point. Adding insult to injury was the fact that Grizzly captain Jacksenn Hungle was down in the slot during Eperjesi’s goal after blocking a shot. He would not return.
Into the third period the game would go with Victoria needing a spark down 4-3. Reegan Hiscock would help out by chipping in his 11th of the season after his centering pass went off a diving Express forward and into the empty goal at 5:02. He added his 12th of the season 4:21 later with a wrist shot from the near circle that bear Coquitlam netminder Eric Young through the seven hole giving Victoria a 5-4 lead.
That lead would barely last as 26 seconds later, Carson McGilney (who was making his Express debut) stole a puck at his own line and beat Kyle Kelsey on a deke to the backhand. Kyle Kesley had come on in relief for the Grizzlies to replace Oliver Auyeung-Ashton to start the third period.
This game would need overtime and that extra frame proved to be a fairly tame one while three on three save for two diving desperation saves from Kyle Kelsey that kept the game going in spectacular fashion.
The game would go to the shootout for the first time the season for Victoria and it was Chase Pirtle with the only goal of the show down. Kyle Kelsey stopped all three Express shooters he saw and celebrated with his teammates after making the final save on Thomas Zocco to seal the win.
Victoria was outshot 41-37 in the game while improving to 17-9-4 with the victory. Reegan Hiscock’s two goal effort was recognized as first star of the game with Julian Cull (goal and assist) getting second star and Stone Rolston (goal and assist) picking up third star.
Victoria is back in action tomorrow night against the Alberni Valley Bulldogs from the Alberni Valley Multiplex. Puck drop goes at 7:00 PM.
