This Battle of the Malahat on Friday night in Duncan had a little something extra, on and off the ice, and the Victoria Grizzlies won this round, much to the shagrin of a sell-out crowd at the Cowichan Community Centre.
The Grizzlies got two goals from Reegan Hiscock and five assists from Thomas Molson to beat the Cowichan Valley Capitals 6-2 and spoil the Caps’ party which had former NHLers and current TV personalities Terry Ryan and Kevin Bieksa on hand to drop the puck for the ceremonial faceoff.
The Grizzlies also spoiled the Capitals’ plan of staying in second place in the Coastal Conference. The victory moved Victoria (19-9-4-0) one point up on Cowichan Valley (19-11-3-0) and the Grizzlies have a game in hand. The Chilliwack Chiefs continue to lead the conference, five points clear of the Grizzlies.
Ryan, a first-round draft pick of the Montreal Canadiens in 1995 who played eight games for the famed franchise, is now known for his starring role on the Letterkenny spinoff Shoresy. Bieksa, the former 91原创 Canucks defenceman and current Hockey Night in Canada analyst, is on the Island to coach his son’s Fairmont Hockey U-18 team from Anaheim in the annual Shawnigan Lake School tournament.
Both got a close-up look at what the Grizzlies’ offence can do when it’s firing on all cylinders. Hiscock, the 20-year-old headed to the Ivy League and Cornell next fall, got the Grizzlies first two goals in the opening period but Luca Primerano kept the home team in it, beating Oliver Auyeung-Ashton with just three minutes left in the period.
The Grizzlies took control in the second period with Seamus Latta, Chase Pirtle and Finn Kallay all scoring unanswered. Molson, NCAA committed to Yale University, set up the first four Grizzlies goals and then set up Tobias Pitka for a third-period goal. Noah MacDonald added a late marker for the Capitals. Auyeung-Ashton made 33 saves for the victory.
The Grizzlies are back in action tonight when they host conference last-place Powell River Kings. The Kings fell 6-3 to the Clippers in Nanaimo on Friday night.
