The three-game win streak is over, but the Victoria Grizzlies have now gone five games with collecting at least one point in B.C. Hockey League play.
The Grizzlies and Cowichan Valley Capitals settled on a 2-2 tie on Tuesday night at The Q Centre.
Fans took advantage of the team’s first Toonie Tuesday promotion of the season and the announced 1,020 got their money’s worth and a whole lot more in a 70-minute goaltending duel between Victoria’s Sean Cleary and Cowichan’s Lane Michasiw, all for two bucks.
Michasiw stopped 38 shots and Cleary halted 32 in a see-saw battle.
“I thought both goalies made some big saves,” said Grizzlies general manager and head coach Craig Didmon. “I thought it was a sloppy game on both sides, but Cowichan worked hard.
“I don’t think we were as mentally sharp as we have been and you can blame that a little on an early-week game. But we had a great crowd tonight and I’m glad we fought back. We had glimpses and moments of what we can be, but I know we can be better than we were.”
Daniel Warner had a great early chance for the Capitals, but he couldn’t pull the trigger on Cleary. Dane Gibson obliged at other end for the Grizzlies, scooping up a loose puck for a 1-0 lead at 2:16 of the first period.
Cleary then robbed Jesse Neher in tight to keep it at 1-0 and Victoria’s Garrett Forster had a red-light opportunity, but couldn’t beat Michasiw midway through the first. Cleary also made a point-blank save on Adam Osczevski to keep the sheet clean.
The goalies then matched glove saves to open the second, Michasiw robbing Forster on a power play in the opening minute on a fresh sheet of ice before Cleary took one away from Keegan Milligan at 7:35.
Osczevski finally got the Capitals on the scoreboard at 12:44 of the middle frame as he capitalized on a Victoria turnover. Then Michasiw halted Mackie with 3:36 to go in the second before Carter Turnbull snapped home his first ever BCHL goal, high, glove-side on Cleary at 18:51 of the second period to break the 1-1 tie.
Jay Mackie got it back in the third on a power play and that was the end of scoring, although there were plenty of chances.
Darien Craighead nailed Cleary in the face mask and Osczevski rattled one off the post in the dying minute with the Capitals on the power play.
“He made some big saves when he had to and in overtime he saved us,” Didmon said of Cleary.
Didmon remains undefeated since joining the team four games ago.
“If someone had said you’d have seven of your first eight points, I’d take it. But we’re going to put our heads down tomorrow, work hard and get that preparation back. I think we may have taken things for granted a little tonight,” said Didmon.
It was the first tie for both teams this year as the Grizzlies are now 14-10-1-5, while the Capitals move to 10-22-1-1.
The Grizzlies now venture off on a three-game road trip this weekend with stops in Coquitlam, Langley and Surrey before breaking for Christmas.
