Above Photo: Sophiesphotographys
Victoria, BC ~ It’s not about how you win, it’s about if you win. That saying was embodied on Tuesday night at the Q Centre with the Victoria Grizzlies being outshot 42-20 by the Cowichan Valley Capitals yet finding a way to go up 3-0 in the series with a 6-3 victory.
In the first period the visiting Capitals staked themselves to a lead after a fabulous solo dash from Nico Beaudoin (3) came at 8:46.
Victoria, who was out played in the opening 20 minutes, responded at 13:15 thanks to a fortuitous bounce off the end boards right to Easton Kovacs (1) in front of the Cowichan net. He took advantage of that to tie the game and it would stand that way after twenty minutes.
Dan D’Alessandro (1) gave the Grizzlies the lead 3:08 in the second period finishing off a three-on-two as the trailer to the play. Just over five minutes later Reegan Hiscock (4) banked a puck in off the stick of scrambling netminder Erick Roest to make it 3-1 Victoria after the second period.
Early in the third period Victoria would chase Roest after Landon Mackie’s 5th of the post season finished the netminders evening at 3:15. Tom Molson (5) would beat his replacement, Dylan Krick, just over five minutes later on a breakaway.
Cowichan would muster some pushback with two goals in under a minute just before the halfway point of the period. Those came by way of Luca Primerano (5) and Camden Bajzer (6) making it 5-3.
Victoria, however, would hunker down and close things out with a Julian Cull (2) empty netter to seal the deal and give the home side a 3-0 series lead.
Tom Molson was named first star with a goal and two assists while Oliver Auyeung-Ashton made 39 saves on 42 shots to be named second star. Easton Kovacs took home third star. Charles Cote and Will Schumacher each had two assists, making for quite rounded out effort from the Grizzlies who got marker from the first, second, third and fourth line.
Victoria is back in action tomorrow night looking for the sweep at 7:00 p.m. at the Q Centre. Tickets are available for purchase by CLICKING HERE.
