Having lost two of three games to the Prince George Spruce Kings this season, the Victoria Grizzlies weren’t about to take the Spruce Kings, who currently sit outside of the Coastal Conference playoff picture, lightly.
And they didn’t.
The Grizzlies’ offence exploded for five goals in the second period — two on a five-minute power play — to cruise to a 6-1 B.C. Hockey League victory on Saturday night at The Q Centre.
With the win, the surging Grizzlies (21-9-6-0) jumped over the idle Surrey Eagles into second place in the conference, six points back of the conference-leading Chilliwack Chiefs, but Victoria, which is 6-0-2 in its last eight games, has a game in hand on the Chiefs.
After Tom Molson opened the scoring for the Grizzlies midway through the first period, the Grizzlies’ offence went to work starting early in the second. Daniel D’Alassandro beat Spruce Kings netminder Ryder Green just two minutes into the middle period. Then it was Reegan Hiscock and Landon Mackie scoring just 38 seconds apart midway through the frame.
Brock Cummings broke Oliver Auyeung-Ashton’s shutout bid, getting the Spruce Kings (13-20-3-1) on the board with seven minutes remaining in the second to cut the Grizzlies’ lead to 4-1.
Late in the middle period, Prince George’s Isaac Holt and Victoria’s Julian Cull got into a mix-up and Holt was given a five-minute major penalty for boarding, sending the Grizzlies’ power-play, fifth best in the BCHL, to work. Sam Ward struck first for the Grizzlies on the man-advantage, and then Ward set up Finn Kallay for another power-play goal with just one second left in the period. The Grizzlies finished with 27 shots on goal in the middle period.
Hiscock, who is headed to the NCAA at Ivy League Cornell next fall, finished with a goal and two assists for the Grizzlies, while Seamus Latta, who is NCAA committed to Princeton University, chipped in three assists.
Auyeung-Ashton made 26 saves to improve to 11-2-2 on the season. Green finished with 36 saves for the Spruce Kings.
The Spruce Kings started their roadtrip with a 6-1 loss in Nanaimo on Wednesday, then beat the Alberni Valley Bulldogs 5-2 on Friday,
Now eight points out of a playoff spot in the Coastal Cnference, Prince George will host the Coquitlam Express Friday and Saturday at Kopar Memorial Arena.
