October 25, 2020 Victoria, BC (ISN) – BCHL’s Victoria Grizzlies Chase McInnes would score three times including a second period shorthanded, breakaway goal as the Grizzlies would overcome an early deficit to roll over Cowichan Valley Capitals with an 8-5 decision Saturday night at the Q-Centre to extend their Island Cup Series win streak to five games.
The Grizzlie’s goaltender Blake Wood would the nod in the Saturday match up, facing twenty-six shots on net, while his Cowichan counterpart Lucas Pheil, the busier of the two goaltenders, would be peppered with fourty-eight shots in the Capital’s loss.
After needing extra time Friday night to dispatch the Alberni Valley Bulldogs in a 9-8 shoot out result you would expect the hometown Grizzlies would be a little weary taking the ice with only 24 hours separating their weekend matchups, however after sputtering early in the first period down 0-2 on goals by Capital’s Sam Schofield and Jacob Brockman, Victoria would find their scoring touch from the night prior, beating starting Capital’s netminder Pfeil twice late in the first period to draw even 2-2. Oakvile, Ontario’s left winger Alex Dipaolo would put his Grizzlies on the scoresheet with a late power play goal. Victoria’s Chase McInnes would score three minutes later to go into the locker room even.
Both teams would trade chances to start the second period, however McInnes would tally his second goal, a breakaway, shorthanded shot at the thirteen-minute mark to give his team lead. The Capitals would answer one minute later on a shot by Ronan Walsh. The period would end with the score knotted at 3-3.
The Grizzlies would regain the lead only one minute into the third period when Chase McInnes would score this third goal of the evening and his fifth goal of the season. Matteo Turrin, shooting a seemingly harmless back-hander from the right hash mark, would beat Cowichan’s Pfeil glove side to pad his Grizzlies lead 5-3 with only five minutes ticked off the clock.
The Capitals would attempt to mount a comeback, electing to put the body to the Grizzlies to try to slow their momentum. Kahlil Fontana would score a powerplay goal for Cowichan at the ten-minute mark looking to provide the spark to a Capital’s comeback 5-4. The Grizzlies would pepper goalie Pfeil 20-9 in the final period alone, scoring three more times on shots from Connor Eddy, Ellis Rickwood, and Matteo Turrin (his 2ndof the game) to put the game out of reach. Cowichan Capital’s Sean Ramsay would score the final goal at the eighteen-minute mark to close out the game as the Grizzlies would dominate 8-5 for their fifth win in as many games.
The Grizzlies next matchup will be an away affair as they travel to the Alberni Valley Bulldogs Tuesday, October 27th. The Bulldogs, 0-2 this season against Victoria, will look to avenge last Friday’s shootout loss. The Capitals will get a bye-weekend before returning to play November 8thversus the Powell River Kings.
