The Victoria Grizzlies and Alberni Valley Bulldogs will both be playing their second straight series-clinching fifth games of the young sa国际传媒 Hockey League post-season.
The Bulldogs saw to it with a come-from-behind 4-3 overtime win over the visiting Grizzlies on Tuesday night at Weyerhaeuser Arena in Port Alberni. The fifth-and-deciding game goes tonight at 7:15 at Bear Mountain Arena.
Victoria edged the Powell River Kings in a five-game set in Round 1, while the Bulldogs bounced back from a 0-2 deficit to win three straight against Nanaimo.
Marlon Sabo scored the extra-session winner at 13:36 of the first overtime after affiliated player Mak Barden scored two goals, including the one that sent it to OT with just 2:38 to go in regulation for the Bulldogs.
It was the seventh time these two teams have gone to overtime this season.
Alberni bounced back three times to tie it. Mattew Hansen had the other Bulldogs goal with just five seconds remaining in the second period on a power play.
David Mazurek had presented Victoria wih a 3-2 lead in the first minute of the third period on a power-play marker. Leo Fitzgerald and Chris Albertini had provided 1-0 and 2-1 advantages on the road, but the Grizzlies failed to hang on.
The Bulldogs simply refuse to roll over. Jay Deo collected the win in goal for the host club. Brady Rouleau suffered the loss in net for Victoria.
The winner of the best-of-five Island Division final will advance to face the Surrey Eagles in the Coastal Conference final starting Friday and Saturday on the Mainland. Surrey defeated the Chilliwack Chiefs 3-2 in overtime on Monday to sweep that series 3-0.
