Resurgent Alberni Valley Bulldogs take bite out of depleted Victoria Grizzlies

Alberni Valley Bulldogs Stephen Castagna scores against Victoria Grizzlies goaltender Joe Howe at The Q Centre on Saturday.
Photograph By DARREN STONE, TIMES COLONIST

Brian Drewry / Times Colonist
OCTOBER 19, 2019 09:57 PM

ALBERNI VALLEY 6
VICTORIA 2

The hounds have been unleashed in the B.C. Hockey League.

After starting the season 3-8, the Alberni Valley Bulldogs have rolled off six straight wins, including a 6-2 pounding of the Victoria Grizzlies on Saturday night at The Q Centre.

After taming the Wenatchee Wild 5-3 on Friday in Port Alberni, the Bulldogs sank their teeth into the Grizzlies early on Saturday, then went in for the kill. Dawson Tritt got the visitor’s offence rolling, pouncing on a rebound and beating Joe Howe, who was coming off shutting out the Island Division-leading Cowichan Valley Capitals the night before.

Stephen Castagna followed with a goal of his own at the 4:30 mark of the first as Alberni quickly silenced the crowd of 977.

The Grizzlies (6-10), who have lost three of their past four games, were heavily wounded before the game even began as Victoria’s injuries continue to mount. Missing from the home team’s lineup was captain Marty Westhaver, forward Andrew Amousse and veteran defenceman Brady MacDonald.

The Bulldogs took advantage of the depleted Grizzlies lineup, adding three more goals in the second period, chasing Howe after Tyler Kostelecky and Jackson Doucette made it 4-0 at the five-minute mark.

Blake Wood couldn’t stop the bleeding for the Grizzlies, giving up a Ryan Doolin goal at the seven-minute mark of the second.

The Grizzlies came to life briefly in the third period, getting back-to-back goals from Cody Monds and Henri Schreifels to cut the visitors’ lead to 5-2, but Austin Spiridakis put the final dagger into the Grizzlies, beating Wood with eight minutes to play.

The Bulldogs outshot the Grizzlies 43-33.

The only bright spot for the Grizzlies was their penalty killing as Alberni was 0-for-6 with the man advantage, while Victoria failed to score on their one power play.

The Grizzlies have little time to dwell on the loss as they host the Wenatchee Wild this afternoon at The Q Centre. The Wild beat the Capitals 7-3 in Duncan on Saturday.

The Grizzlies are then off until next Friday when they travel to Nanaimo to take on the Clippers.

bdrewry@timescolonist.com

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