The Victoria Grizzlies proved last week was not an anomaly as the B.C. Hockey League club ran roughshod over the Alberni Valley Bulldogs for the second time in seven days, this time in a 4-0 whitewash of the visitors.
Mike Stiliadis made 32 saves for his second shutout of the season and Dane Gibson scored a pair of goals for the fourth time this season to pace the locals to the win Tuesday at The Q Centre.
Gibson also had a goal and four assists in last Wednesday’s 8-3 win over the Bulldogs. The power forward — who has turned out to be a great acquisition by former Grizzlies general manager and head coach Brad Knight — has 21 points in his last 10 games.
He now has 24 goals on the season and with his 44 assists, Gibson sits third overall in points in the BCHL behind Coquitlam’s Corey Mackin (86 points) and Brett Supinski (77).
“I’ve got my linemates, Brett Gruber and Matt Kennedy, to thank for that, but this has been nice,” said Gibson. “We love playing together and we get along great. I think we just focus on working hard, playing good defence, don’t get scored on and everything else will come.”
It all came together well this last week as Victoria recorded its third straight win and has tallied 18 goals in that span after being shut out at home to Salmon Arm four games ago.
On Tuesday, Thomas Gobeil ripped a slapper by Bulldogs goalie Billy Christopoulos at 13:43 of the first period for his seventh goal in eight games with the Grizzlies and 20th overall.
Gibson got his first 1:20 later and added his second at 6:47 of the third before Jay Mackie added a breakaway goal with 1:27 to go.
This victory moves the Grizzlies to within five points of second-place Powell River in the Island Division with two games in hand on the Kings. They are also five points up on Alberni, having played one more game.
Victoria is in Nanaimo tonight against the division-leading Clippers.
The schedule will now favour the Grizzlies, with six of their last 10 regular-season games set for home ice. All the away contests remain on the Island.
“For travel, the schedule all of a sudden looks good for us,” agreed head coach and GM Craig Didmon. “It gives us a good opportunity, after a weekend off like this past one. We want to play another 30-45 more games, so if we can have a good month here, get less travel and get the sleep, it will pay off for us in the playoffs.”
Victoria is now 22-16-1-9 overall and 4-1-0-1 on the Bullldogs.
mannicchiarico@timescolonist.com
