New Victoria Grizzlies goaltender Ryan Holfeld made his B.C. Hockey League debut last night in Port Alberni, but it wasn’t the start he would have liked.

The Grizzlies were leading the Alberni Valley Bulldogs 2-0 before giving up four unanswered goals to lose 4-2 at Weyerhaeser Arena, in front of 1,300 fans.

“The goalie was really good,” Victoria coach

Victor Gervais said. “He travelled three days to get here, and played tonight.”

“He was great in the first and second periods, but basically ran out of gas a little bit in the third.”

Holfeld, a 20-year-old from LeRoy, Sask., comes to Victoria with 124 regular-season and 17 playoff games through four seasons of Western Hockey League experience with the Medicine Hat Tigers. Most recently, the five-foot-11, 166-pounder, was playing in the United States Hockey League for the Fargo, N.D., Force, where he was apparently unhappy with his

situation.

“They promised him a bunch of stuff,” Victoria coach Victor Gervais said. “He wasn’t playing [as much as he expected].”

Fans might have their first opportunity to see Holfeld in action, if he starts tonight. The Grizzlies are playing host to the conference leading Surrey Eagles (20-9-0-3), facing off at 7:15 p.m. at Bear Mountain Arena.

The Grizzlies also still have goaltenders Richie Virtanen and Colin

Fernandes on the roster.

Against the Bulldogs, Holfeld had a shutout going until the final minutes of the second period. The Grizzlies (13-10-2-3) were leading on goals by Brandon Fagerheim and Spencer Copp, at 1:18 and 8:37 of the second respectively, but the Bulldogs (18-8-1-2) fought back.

“We were playing a good team, and they work hard,” Gervais said about the Bulldogs, who are in second place in the Coastal Conference.

Johnny Rogic got the first one for the ’Dogs on a tip-in at 15:13 of the second, and Alberni tied it 2-2 just 28 seconds into the third frame. Mark MacMillan’s 29th point of the season deflected high off the skate of Victoria defenceman Nick Buchanan, and went up and over Holfeld.

Casey Bailey, the game’s first star, sealed it with a power-play goal at 10:50, and added his second of the night at 15:37. On a final-minute power play, the Grizzlies pulled Holfeld for a two-man advantage, but couldn’t beat Alberni goaltender Frank Slubowski.

“It was a good game. I think our team worked hard,” Gervais said. “I think we got hosed on some calls in the third period.”

Final shots on net were 28-24 for the Bulldogs, who took revenge for their last meeting with Victoria, a 3-0 loss at Bear Mountain earlier this month.