A banged-up, depleted group of Victoria Grizzlies couldn’t keep the Eagles from soaring Sunday afternoon at The Q Centre.
Missing six players to injuries and another one to suspension, the Grizzlies fell 6-3 to Surrey (13-16-5), which won on the Island for second straight day after beating the Clippers in a shootout Saturday night in Nanaimo.
The Grizzlies were slow out of the gate, registering just two shots on Eagles netminder Thomas Scarfone in the first period and went into the break down 1-0. But two goals in the first four minutes of the second period by the Eagles all but ended the day for the home team and the 1,175 fans at The Q Centre.
The Victoria power play provided some brief hope for the Grizzlies (11-23) when captain Marty Westhaver scored on a two-man advantage mid way through the period to cut the Eagles’ lead to 3-1.
Surrey’s Cade Alami, with a power-play goal of his own, and Grizzlies defenceman Colton Kitchen traded goals late in the period.
Wyatt Schlaht and Hudson Schandor added third-period goals for the visitors, while Cody Monds added a power-play marker to round out the Grizzlies’ scoring.
Rookie Joe Howe took the loss in goal for the Grizzlies, making 26 saves.
The Grizzlies now face a home-and-home set with the Island Division-leading Nanaimo Clippers beginning Wednesday night at Frank Crane Arena and wrapping up Saturday night at The Q Centre in the Grizzlies’ annual Teddy Bear Toss game.
LOOSE PUCKS: Missing Sunday’s game due to injury were goaltender Liam Souliere, defencemen Brady MacDonald, James Davenport and Reid Lindsay and forwards Eddie Yan and Trevor Bishop. Grizzlies veteran winger Henri Schreifels sat out the second of a two-game suspension and will return to the lineup Wednesday in Nanaimo. . . . Following the two games against the Clippers, the Grizzlies host the Chilliwack Chiefs on Sunday afternoon at The Q Centre.
