The Victoria Grizzlies picked a bad time to break the pattern.
Dramatic winners of B.C. Hockey League opening playoff series — pushing the matchups to the final games — the last two seasons, the hosts couldn’t pull it off on Tuesday night, losing a heartbreaking 5-4 double-overtime decision to the Powell River Kings at The Q Centre.
A long slapper by Colton Sandberg was deflected along the route and went in at 10:21 of the second extra session.
The Kings win the best-of-seven series 4-2 and advance to the Island Division final, unlike two seasons ago, when the Grizzlies downed the Kings in what was then a best of five, in the full five games. Last year, it was a thrilling overtime win for Victoria in Game 7 against the Alberni Valley Bulldogs.
The Grizzlies certainly made it interesting, though, in a heroic comeback in the third period. Kevin Massy scored his second goal of the game with just 1:41 remaining in the stanza, five minutes after Jake Emilio and Brett Gruber tallied goals 22 seconds apart, with the Grizzlies down 4-1.
The locals fell behind, allowing the opening goal for the fifth time in six outings as Jason Pritchard scored on a power play at 5:49 of the first period. Massy got it back on a Victoria man advantage at 8:31, but just 27 seconds later, Pritchard collected his second.
To make matters worse, Jarid Luosevicius buried a loose puck at 9:54 and the locals were in a hole midway into the first frame.
Austin Kamer also scored for Powell River. The Grizzlies were just far too loose defensively in their own end, not only in this series but throughout the year, stranding goalie Mike Stiliadis and backup Sean Cleary on several occasions.
Brett Magnus was an absolute wall in net for the Kings through the series, stopping 55 shots on Tuesday, although slipping in the third period, as the Kings were badly out-shot 15-6 in that period by the Grizzlies.
Mike Stiliadis made 38 saves in goal in his last junior game for the Grizzlies.
IN THE DEN: Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Dave Nonis was in the building but his son Nick was not in the Kings’ lineup. The Leafs are in Vancouver on Saturday.
mannicchiarico@timescolonist.com
