The Victoria Grizzlies took both ends of a home and home against the Cowichan Valley Capitals on Thursday and Friday to gain ground in a tight battle with the Powell River Kings for the B.C. Hockey League’s Island Division lead.
On Thursday at The Q Centre, the Grizzlies erased 3-1 and 4-3 deficits on their way to a 5-4 overtime win. The Grizz got two goals from Nick Guiney and tallies from Nathan Looysen and Brett Stirling to set the stage for the overtime heroics from leading scorer Cole Pickup. Goaltender Matthew Galajda made 23 saves in the win, while Capitals netminder Lane Michasiw was peppered with 52 shots at the opposite end of the rink.
The Grizzlies led start to finish in the following night’s 4-2 win in Duncan.
Defenceman Jake Stevens scored the Grizzlies’ first and last goals, with Guiney and Pickup adding the other scores, while Galajda made 37 saves for his 19th win.
Powell River went 1-1 over the weekend, giving Victoria a four-point cushion in the division to start the week.
The Grizzlies are on the road Wednesday (Jan. 25) taking on the Alberni Valley Bulldogs. Victoria will host the West Kelowna Warriors this Friday at 7 p.m.
joel.tansey@goldstreamgazette.com