As if losing the game wasn鈥檛 enough, the Victoria Grizzlies appear to have lost starting netminder Matthew Galajda for what is expected to be the remainder of their series against the Chilliwack Chiefs.
The Grizzlies lost Galajda with 56.4 seconds to go in the first period of Wednesday night鈥檚 4-3 loss to the Chiefs, who now have a stranglehold on the best-of-seven sa国际传媒 Hockey League semifinal series, 3-1. Game 5 is Friday at Prospera Centre.
Galajda, named a BCHL second-team all-star on Tuesday, was injured when Grizzlies defenceman Brett Stirling and Chiefs forward Aaron O鈥橬eill were tangled up. O鈥橬eill tripped towards the netminder and his skate appeared to catch Galajda in the side of the head.
Galajda skated off with some help and was replaced by Tony Rehm, who mopped up.
It was 2-1 Chilliwack at that stage and the Grizzlies fought back to grab a 3-2 lead only to see that dwindle.
鈥淲e played a good hockey game. Pucks aren鈥檛 bouncing our way right now, but there鈥檚 a lot of fight in this team and in no way are they upset with themselves,鈥� said Grizzlies GM and head coach Craig Didmon.
鈥淥bviously, we could have tied the series tonight, but we have to live to play another day. We have to take the one on Friday. We have to focus on one game at a time.鈥�
Didmon was not pleased with the play in which he lost his star netminder.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 the fifth time in this series that our goalie has been run,鈥� he added. 鈥淭hey knew what they were doing. I don鈥檛 think it was a mishap. I felt it was intentional, but if that鈥檚 the way they want to play, hopefully the hockey Gods get them back.鈥�
Asked the condition of Galajda, he responded: 鈥淗e won鈥檛 be back this series. We have our fourth concussion since Game 1.鈥�
T.J. Friedmann and Cam Thompson are both out for the Grizzlies and they were joined Wednesday by defenceman Drayson Pears.
Yet, Jamie Rome and Cole Pickup scored goals just 43 seconds apart to give the locals a 3-2 lead in the second period. That was lost when a bad line change led to a 3-on-1 break in which Jordan Kawaguchi tied it 3-3 at 13:28 of the second.
Kohen Olischefski then notched the game-winner on a power play just 50 seconds into the third period.
Linden Hora and Powell Connor had staked the Chiefs to a 2-0 lead 13:40 into the game before Nathan Looysen鈥檚 first goal of the playoffs came on a Grizzlies鈥� power play at 15:11 of the first.
Victoria outshot Chilliwack 38-31, including a 17-7 margin in the third.
