VICTORIA 3
COWICHAN 0
The Victoria Grizzlies took advantage of their game in hand on the Alberni Valley Bulldogs on Tuesday night in the race to the final playoff spot in the B.C. Hockey league’s Island Division.
Alex Peck scored a pair of goals and goaltender Matthew Galajda stopped all 26 shots he faced to pace the Grizzlies to a crucial 3-0 win over the Cowichan Valley Capitals at the Island Savings Centre in Duncan.
The victory moves the Grizzlies two points up on the Bulldogs for that last post-season berth. Both teams now have five games remaining with Alberni Valley benefitting from a weaker schedule.
The positive result snaps a seven-game losing streak which followed a seven-win run. Victoria is now 22-27-4-0.
“The first 20 minutes we were a little nervous because we knew what was on the line, but the back 40 [minutes] were very good,” said Grizzlies general manager and head coach Craig Didmon.
“Our depth players scored some key goals and that shows you that these guys want to keep on playing.”
Galajda was also good from the opening puck-drop, added Didmon.
After a scoreless first period, Peck opened the scoring on a short-handed marker 4:17 into the second frame. Just over 10 minutes later, Jared Virtanen took a pass from Keyvan Mokhtari and banked the puck in off Ryan Burton and past Capitals netminder Storm Phaneuf for a 2-0 advantage.
Peck added a power-play marker at 13:13 of the third period for the Grizzlies, who outshot Phaneuf and his Capitals’ teammates 35-26.
The Grizzlies power play finished 1-for-5, while the Capitals were 0-for-4.
The Grizzlies now head off to Wenatchee, Penticton and Langley this weekend for three games in three days starting Friday night south of the border in Washington against the Wild.
Victoria has just one home game remaining, against the Powell River Kings on Feb. 26, before closing it out on the road in Chilliwack two days later.
Alberni Valley (20-27-3-3) travels to Prince George, Merritt and Surrey before wrapping up their season with a pair at home against Powell River.
