The comeback is complete.
Down 3-1 in the series, the Victoria Grizzlies clawed their way back to an opening B.C. Hockey League post-season win, clinching the Island Division semiinal over the Alberni Bulldogs with an unbelievable 5-4 double-overtime victory on Wednesday night at The Q Centre.
The Game 7 win was reminiscent of an eerily similar Victoria loss to the Powell River Kings in 2010-11 in which they lost the last three games after building a 3-1 series lead.
This time it was the Bulldogs’ collar that got a little tight, failing to finish the deal.
It happened in miraculous fashion as the Grizzlies battled back from a 4-1 third-period deficit.
Defenceman Jaden Schmeisser scored his second of the game - and fifth in the last four games - at 18:44 of the third, 28 seconds after Leo Fitzgerald cut it to 4-3 off a set faceoff play with the Grizzlies’ goalie pulled on a 6-on-4.
Shawn McBride got the winner at 8:18 of the second overtime. It was his second of the night as well. The players poure dout onto the ice and smothered the big forward.
With all the momentum behind them coming into the game, the Grizzlies gave up the first goal just 1:17 in as Kurt Gosselin snuck one behind goaltender Nic Renyard. Then Craig Martin made it 2-0 on a power play seven minutes later with Rory McGuire in the penalty box.
Victoria cut it to 2-1 at 6:49 of the second on McBride’s first goal, after the hosts hit two goalposts behind Connor LaCouvee. Gerry Fitzgerald also rattled the crossbar shortly after the goal, but Darian Henry restored the two-goal Bulldogs’ lead at 11:39 of the middle frame. Quinton Wunder then tallied with 28.3 seconds to go in the second.
That’s when it all turned.
Schmeisser started the comeback with a third-period power-play goal for Victoria at 8:23 as the Grizzlies out-shot Alberni 18-5 in the final frame and 63-42 overall.
Alberni Valley goalie Connor LaCouvee was unbelievable yet again for the visitors.
But McBride blasted a slapshot from in tight to finally end it and send the crowd home happy into the dark night.
The Grizzlies will now open the Island Division best-of-seven final in Game 1 Friday against Powell River in Victoria. Game 2 is Saturday night, also at 7:15 p.m. at The Q Centre.
Tickets are on sale at the Grizzlies' ticket office starting at 9 a.m. Thursday and can also be purchased online.
