January 12, 2016 10:26 PM
VICTORIA 7
COWICHAN VALLEY 1
2016 continues to be a good year for the Victoria Grizzlies.
P.J. Conlon recorded three goals and an assist and Cole Pickup had a goal and three helpers as the Grizzlies cruised to a 7-1 win over the Cowichan Valley Capitals at the Island Savings Centre in Duncan on Tuesday night. The Grizzlies are now 3-0 in the new year.
Brayden Gelsinger added his sixth tally in three games for the visitors, while rookie Joey Visconti and Nick Guiney also scored for the victors. It was Visconti’s third goal of the season, all against the Island Division-rival Capitals.
It was also Victoria’s third straight B.C. Hockey League triumph and the club will have a chance to match its longest winning streak of the season when it heads to Prince George to face the Spruce Kings on Friday night to begin a lengthy weekend road trip, which extends to Chilliwack and Surrey.
The team claimed four wins in a row from Oct. 30 to Nov. 10.
Victoria has now also managed four consecutive victories over the Capitals after losing the first three early in the 2015-16 campaign. The Grizzlies have out-scored Cowichan Valley 26-17 over the seven clashes.
“We get into playoff mode every time we play these guys because of the rivalry. Everyone here sees it as a big rivalry,” said Pickup, who had quite a night along with captain Conlon.
“I think that’s what turned the corner for us,” Pickup added, referring to the three previous wins over the Capitals on Oct. 30, Nov. 6 and Nov. 20. “We’ve started treating these Island games like playoff games.”
Kade Kehoe responded with the lone goal for the Capitals as Matthew Galajda continues his strong play in goal for Victoria, improving to 15-14 as he stopped 32 shots. Storm Phaneuf faced 43 shots from the Grizzlies, who improve to 17-20-4-0, while Cowichan Valley slips to 21-15-3-2.
Visconti opened the scoring 35 seconds into the second period and Conlon collected his first at 18:02 of the middle frame — his fifth game-winning goal of the season — and tallied again at 1:05 and 7:37 of the third to open the floodgates at 4-0.
“He’s always good,” Grizzlies general manager and head coach Craig Didmon said of his captain, Conlon, who he believes should be drawing a scholarship opportunity. “He’s led the way. He’s come back from the break and you can see it in practice and in the dressing room.”
mannicchiarico@timescolonist.com
Twitter.com/tc_vicsports
