The Victoria Grizzlies and Cowichan Valley Capitals split the B.C. Hockey League Road Show over the weekend in Quesnel.
Andrej Kovacevic scored the winner Sunday on the power play at 8:35 of the third period to give the Capitals (4-15-1) a 2-1 victory. Luke Lavery of Cowichan Valley, also on the power play, and Chase Pirtle, with his 13th goal for the Grizzlies, scored in the second period.
Cowichan Valley goaltender Cody Butikis was the difference with a 48-save performance to be named first star. Rookie Owen Bresson made 24 saves in goal for the Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies (14-8) won the first game of the set 5-2 on Saturday in front of a sell-out crowd of 1,500 fans at the West Fraser Centre arena.
The BCHL Road Show was inaugurated to bring league games to communities that don’t have teams. The Grizzlies-Capitals Road Show games in Quesnel were staged in partnership with the Lhtako Dene Nation. The weekend featured the two games, the Grizzlies and Caps players taking part in youth hockey camps and school visits. The special guest for the Road Show was 17-season NHL veteran Geoff Courtnall of Victoria.
It was the third BCHL Road Show after Burns Lake last season and Kitimat in 2020.
The Grizzlies are in Nanaimo on Friday night to play the Clippers (11-8-2) at Frank Crane Arena before hosting the Cranbrook Bucks (8-13-1) on Saturday night at The Q Centre.
Cowichan Valley is in Port Alberni to play the Bulldogs (14-8) on Friday night.
ICE CHIPS: The Grizzlies announced Monday they have acquired 20-year-old forward Elliot Dutil from the Chilliwack Chiefs. The five-foot-nine winger from Montreal, who is NCAA committed to Lindenwood University in Missouri for next fall, has three goals and 14 points in 20 games this season for the Chiefs and had 29 goals and 59 points in 57 games last season for the Brooks Bandits of the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
