Sunday, October 4, 2015 – Submitted by Christian J. Stewart
The Vernon Vipers scored three third-period goals to break open a 1-1 tie and go on to a 4-1 win over the Victoria Grizzlies in BC Hockey League (BCHL) action Sunday afternoon in front of 923 fans at The Q Centre in Victoria.
Things started well for the home team Sunday, as following a scoreless first period, the team’s leading goal scorer Nick Guiney put the Grizzlies up 1-0 at the 3:21 of the second period, taking a faceoff win from Brayden Gelsinger and sneaking it past Vernon goaltender Andrew Shortridge.
That would be it for the Grizzlies offence however and as befits a team sporting the second lowest goals-for average in the league – they have scored two goals or less in seven of their eight outings – the Grizzlies could not catch a break or capitalize on any other chances that the Vipers let them have, with Shortridge stopping 30 of the 31 shots that the Grizzlies fired at him.
The Vipers, who also had trouble in the first period solving Grizzlies netminder Matthew Galajda, finally broke through at the 19:20 mark of the second, when it was the Vipers turn to win a faceoff, this time with Odeen Tufto winning the draw back to Mackenzie Ferner who buried the shot behind Galajda to tie the game 1-1.
The Vipers would extend the lead to 2-1 at the 8:16 mark of the third when Riley Brandt was sent in all alone and beat Galajda with a pretty move and they would make it 3-1 at the 16:52 mark, when the pinching Grizzlies gave up a three-on-one that was finished nicely by Liam Finlay who tapped in a pass from Tufto.
The Vipers would extend the lead to 2-1 at the 8:16 mark of the third when Riley Brandt was sent in all alone and beat Galajda with a pretty move and they would make it 3-1 at the 16:52 mark, when the pinching Grizzlies gave up a three-on-one that was finished nicely by Liam Finlay who tapped in a pass from Tufto.
The loss drops the Grizzlies to 1-6-0-1 on the season and they sit last in the Island Division one point back of Alberni Valley. The Vipers improve to 4-5-0-1 on the year and they sit fourth in the Interior Division, a point back of West Kelowna and one up on Merritt.
Next up, the Grizzlies will have a chance to play leapfrog with Alberni Valley, when the Bulldogs visit The Q Centre on Thursday Oct. 8 at 7:00 pm. They zip up to Cowichan on Friday night and then host a “Turkey Toss” on Saturday, Oct. 10 when the Surrey Eagles come to town.
Game Notes: With an assist on Guiney’s goal, Brayden Gelsinger remains the Grizzlies top point getter with one goal and eight assists. Guiney’s marker puts him in the goal scoring lead with four, one better than fellow Victorian, Cole Pickup. Kevin Massy sits second to Gelsinger in assists with five. After spending much of the first month on the road, the Grizzlies will now play five of their next six games at The Q Centre.
