Above Photo: Credit – Kyle Robinson Photography
Surrey, BC ~ The Victoria Grizzlies used a gunning start and two goal performances from both Luc Pelletier and Olivier Picard to hand the second in the Coastal Conference Surrey Eagles just their fourth loss on home ice with an emphatic 6-2 victory.
First Period:
Jack Gorton opened the scoring just 2 minutes and 20 seconds in with his 13th of the season after firing a wrist shot over the glove hand of Surrey net minder Eli Pulver on a breakaway pass from Owen Bohn.
Nine minutes later Olivier Picard stole a puck at the Grizzlies blue line, raced in on a short handed breakaway and made a slick move to his forehand to slot the puck past Pulver to give the Grizzlies a two goal lead with just under nine minutes to play in the first.
Victoria wasn’t through with their first period dominance there however, as with 3 minutes remaining in the period, Anthony Carone took a slot pass from Tim Busconi (committed to play at Boston University) and Carone was able to find twine below the block of Pulver for his third goal in five outings.
Second Period:
Victoria refused to take the foot off the pedal in the second period even though they were held scoreless for the first 18:27 of the period, before Luc Pelletier was able to jump on a loose puck in the crease and tickle the twine for his 9th of the campaign.
Third Period:
After some questionable officiating calls to close out the second frame, Surrey would begin the third on a five on three power play where Jacob Bonkowski was able to strike for his 23rd of the season.
He would add his 24th just 30 seconds later.
That was as close of the Eagles would come however, as Luc Pelletier scored one of the prettiest Grizzlies tallies of the season for his 10th of the year and second of the game. Pelletier took a pass up the right wing to move in one on one with Eagle defenceman Rylan Bonkowski and slid the puck between Bonkowski’s legs before going around him and wiring a puck through the wickets of Eli Pulver.
Olivier Picard would round out the scoring for the Grizzlies on the power play with his 21st of the season and second of the game with just 2:12 remaining on the game clock.
Takeaways:
If last weekend’s 4-3 shootout victory over the league leading 36-3-1 Penticton Vees wasn’t enough of a statement, the Victoria Grizzlies proved any doubters of their intentions down the stretch wrong. Victoria putting up 49 shots and six markers past a Surrey team, that coming into Friday night were the second least scored on team in the league, speaks volumes about the Grizzlies turning things up when it matters most.
South Surrey Arena is home to the only Olympic sized rink in the league, but anyone who expressed concerns about the Grizzlies’ ability to play on that sized playing surface were quick to be silenced. “We took advantage of it…..we get the same advantages or disadvantages of the rink that they do and our guys just capitalised on it,” said Assistant Coach Suneil Karod postgame.
The Grizzlies improve to 19-13-6 on the season while sitting 6th in the Coastal Conference. They are two points out of 3rd place with 2 games in hand.
Surrey falls to 24-11-3 and sit at 2nd in the conference but know how multiple teams breathing down their necks, including Victoria who is now just 7 points back.
What’s Next?
Victoria heads to the George Preston Arena to face the lowly Langley Rivermen (11-25-4 8th in Coastal Conference) tonight (February 11th) at 7:07.
