The Alberni Valley Bulldogs, with assists from referees Ryan Devries and Brady Casparie, managed to do what no other ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ Hockey League teams has been able to do in the early season: knock off the Victoria Grizzlies.
Thanks to a pair of power-play goals, one on a two-man advantage, early in the third period, the Bulldogs fended off a frustrated bunch of Grizzlies as Victoria was the victim of numerous non-calls on the night and received just two power plays — scoring on one of them — while the host Bulldogs went 2-for-6 with the man-advantage en route to a 4-3 win at the Alberni Valley Multiplex.
After Malcolm Green opened the scoring just 2:23 into the game, and Drew Hockley added his sixth goal of the season just over three minutes later, it looked like the Grizzlies would continue their winning ways in the early season.
But Carl Sandstrom struck for the Bulldogs just 27 seconds into the second period to bring the Alberni fans to life. And nine minutes later, Jacob Wingfield drew the home team even. Reegan Hiscock struck for his team-leading seventh goal of the season late in the second to restore Victoria’s lead.
The Bulldogs turned the tables early in the third with Grayson Badger scoring on a two-man advantage just 26 seconds into the third period, and a minute and half later, while still on a power play, Jacob Terpstra beat Tyler Hodges in the Grizzlies’ net to give Alberni Valley the lead.
Hodges finished with 22 saves, while Colin Winn made 31 saves to earn the victory.
The loss drops the Grizzlies’ record to 5-1, while the Bulldogs improve to 3-2-1-0.
The Grizzlies are now off until Saturday night when they play host to the Trail Smoke Eaters at The Q Centre.
