Victoria Grizzlies head coach and GM Rylan Ferster has stressed the importance of special teams in the playoffs. They proved pivotal on Wednesday night in Nanaimo as two power-play goals helped the Grizzlies rally from a 2-0 deficit in a 3-2 victory over the Clippers in Game 4 at Frank Crane Arena in the Harbour City.
The fourth-seed Grizzlies take a 3-1 series lead over the fifth-seed Clippers in the best-of-seven B.C. Hockey League Coastal Conference opening-round series heading into the fifth game Friday night at The Q Centre.
Chase Pirtle, with his fifth and sixth goals of the post-season, scored twice for the Grizzlies to show why he led Victoria in scoring in the regular season and is one of three finalists for the B.C. Hockey League rookie of the year award. One of Pirtle’s goals came on the odd-man. The other came from Courtenay-product Luc Pelletier, headed to Princeton of the Ivy League in the NCAA. Joel Plante and Luke Buss had given the Clippers at 2-0 lead in the first period.
Oliver Auyeung-Ashton made 22 saves in goal for Victoria and Chazz Nixon 31 for Nanaimo.
– Cleve Dhenshaw – Times Colonist
