Grizzlies Claw Back

VS
3                                       Final Score                                        7
LeBrun (2), Basilico	Goal Scorers	Stevens (2), Welsh, Conlon, Hahn (2), Mokhtari
34	Total Shots	27
12	1st Period Shots	9
8	2nd Period Shots	9
14	3rd Period Shots	9
0 for 5	Power Play	1 for 4
	3rd Star	PJ Conlon
	2nd Star	Mitchel Benson
	1st Star	Jake Stevens
5-14-0-2	Current Record	7-12-0-2

They got off to the good start, but the Spruce Kings couldn’t keep it rolling on the road. In search of their first win of the weekend, the team was coming off a narrow 4-3 loss in overtime the night before.

With 17 seconds left in the first, Dante Hahn dashed after a puck in the Spruce King zone, but was a few inches behind the puck and the Grizzlies were called for icing.

It took the Spruce Kings just two seconds off the draw for Jake LeBrun to load up, and rip a shot past Mitchel Benson for his third goal in as many games.

In the second, Victoria came out guns a blazing, and scored just 27 seconds into the frame. It was Jake Stevens loading up for a slap shot, and sending it in to tie the game at one. Four minutes later it was Tyler Welsh scoring to take the first Grizzly’s lead. Then  Keyvhan Mokatari burst down the left side, and dropped a pass back for Bryaden Gelsinger. Victoria’s leading scorer took the shot, and the rebound came out to the slot where Stevens stepped up to put in his second of the game.

Before time ran out, it was captain Jake LeBrun to the rescue, and he barrelled down the right side, and put a shot over the goalie’s shoulder to make the score 3-2 with just over a minute left.

Needing a big third, Prince George didn’t get that at all, as they allowed three goals in the first five minutes. First it was the Victoria captain PJ Conlon, then Dante Hahn in the first two minutes which would lead to McCloskey getting the hook. Finally Mokatari capped the burst of scoring shorthanded by beating Tanguay.

6-2 wasn’t enough for the Grizzlies though, and they wound up earning just under two minutes of five-on-three hockey. Victoria had the worst power play unit in the league heading in, but even they couldn’t miss with the way they were playing, and Dante Hahn slid the puck past Tanguay to make it 7-2. On the same power play, Bryan Basilico went the other way for the Spruce Kings, and just squeezed a shot under the arm of Benson for the team’s first shorthanded goal of the season. Coquitlam is now the only team in the league without a short handed marker.

The Spruce Kings will again be on the road next weekend when they take the Wenatchee Wild first on Friday, and then make stops in Chilliwack and Surrey the next two games.

Turning Point:

With the team needing just a goal to tie things in the third, they instead had a flat start, and let Victoria score two goals in just over a minute to make the score 5-2, basically sealing the game.

Special Teams:

            Victoria scored the game’s only power play goal, and shut down the Spruce Kings on five separate occasions. Now in their last two games, the Grizzlies have killed all eleven man advantages they faced. Prince George struggled on most of the power plays just to get set up in the zone, and the aggressive forecheck from Victoria caused problems all night long.

Silver Lining:

            Heading into the weekend Jake LeBrun had four goals, and he doubled that number on the road trip scoring power play goals against Powell River and Alberni Valley, and finally adding a pair of even strength goals against Victoria.

SCORING SUMMARY

PERIOD 1

1-0 Prince George Spruce Kings at 18:45 - Jake LeBrun from Alex Stoley

PERIOD 2

1-1 Victoria Grizzlies at 0:27 - Jake Stevens from Tyler Welsh and Keyvan Mokhtari

2-1 Victoria Grizzlies at 4:35 - Tyler Welsh from Nick Guiney and Kevin Massy

3-1 Victoria Grizzlies at 7:20 - Jake Stevens from Brayden Gelsinger and Dante Hahn

3-2 Prince George Spruce Kings at 18:42 - Jake LeBrun (unassisted)

PERIOD 3

4-2 Victoria Grizzlies at 0:55 - PJ Conlon from Jake Stevens and Chuck Bennis

5-2 Victoria Grizzlies at 1:18 - Dante Hahn from Brayden Gelsinger and Colby Livingstone

6-2 Victoria Grizzlies at 4:23 (SH) - Keyvan Mokhtari from Kevin Massy

7-2 Victoria Grizzlies at 17:21 (PP) - Dante Hahn from Brayden Gelsinger and Jake Stevens

7-3 Prince George Spruce Kings at 18:20 (SH) - Bryan Basilico from Matthew Stief

The result wasn't ideal for the team, but it nice for a lot of the players to see friends and family that came out to the game in Victoria. (Photo from after the game)