VICTORIA 3 TRAIL 0
A quick trip to the southeastern part of the province proved a productive one for the Victoria Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies, with standout goaltending from rookie Owen Bresson, defeated the Trail Smoke Eaters 3-0 on Friday night at Cominco Arena.
The 17-year-old Bresson, filling in for the injured Oliver Auyeung-Ashton, made 34 saves for his third shutout of the season and lowered his already impressive 2.09 goals-against average that was third-best in the BCHL coming into Friday’s action.
Newcomer Ranvir Gill-Shane got the Grizzlies’ offence going midway through the first period when the 20-year-old’s shot from the point found its way past Smoke Eaters goaltender Teagan Kendrick.
It was Gill-Shane’s first B.C. Hockey League goal after the blue-liner came over from the Merritt Centennials this month.
After Elliot Dutil banged home a rebound in the last minute of the second period to give Victoria some breathing room, Grizzlies forward Jacksenn Hungle celebrated his return to the lineup for the first time since Oct. 27 due to an injury by scoring 2:30 into the third period.
The win allowed the Grizzlies (20-12-0-1) to remain one point back of the Nanaimo Clippers in the race for second place in the Coastal Conference.
The Clippers beat the Powell River Kings 4-3 on Friday.
The Grizzlies now head back west to face the Centennials tonight in Merritt.
LOOSE PUCKS: With Auyeung-Ashton out, the Grizzlies signed 19-year-old netminder Jack Fialkoff this week and he backed up Bresson on Friday. Fialkoff spent the past two seasons with the Philadelphia Rebels of the North American Hockey League. … The Grizzlies are back home, briefly, next week, hosting Powell River on Friday night at The Q Centre, before heading to the Mainland for games in Chilliwack next Saturday and Langley next Sunday.
