MERRITT 6 VICTORIA 3
The Victoria Grizzlies squandered a chance to jump into sole possession of second place in the ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ Hockey League’s Coastal Conference on Saturday.
On the night when the Nanaimo Clippers lost and the Alberni Valley Bulldogs were idle, the Grizzlies were beaten 6-3 by the Centenials in Merritt, so Victoria (20-13-0-1) remains one point back of the Clippers (20-12-2-0) and Bulldogs (21-14-0-0). The Surrey Eagles sit atop the conference at 26-5-2-0.
At Nicola Valley Memorial Arena, a tired group of Grizzlies, who made the long trek from Trail earlier in the day after beating the Smoke Eaters on Friday night, opened the scoring midway through the first period courtesy Malcolm Green, but it was all Centennials after that.
Zack Losier and Easton Ryan beat Owen Bresson late in the first period to give the home team the lead. Then Ocean Fancy and Jackson Murray struck for the Centennials 45 seconds apart early in the second to send Merritt (13-19-1-0) on their way.
Charlie Gollub gave the Grizzlies some life late in the second with a shorthanded marker, but Fancy struck again midway through the third. Michael Felsing added an empty netter with 2:15 left and then Tobias Pitka got one back for the Grizzlies with 1:21 remaining.
Andrew Ballantyne made 29 saves to pick up the win, while Bresson finished with 20 stops.
The Grizzlies now return home, briefly, to face Powell River on Friday night at The Q Centre, before heading to the Mainland for games Saturday in Chilliwack against the Chiefs and Sunday in Langley against the Rivermen.
