The Victoria Grizzlies were without their second leading scorer on Friday night, and it showed.
With veteran Owen Bohn out with an illness, the Grizzlies’ offence sputtered all night in a key game with the Coquitlam Express and the visitors prevailed 2-1 in front of 1,800 fans on Help Fill a Dream Night at The Q Centre.
The Express (20-15-4-2), starting a three-games-in-three days road trip, got an early third period marker from defenceman Jason Gallucci to tame the Grizzlies (20-14-4-2) and move into a tie for fourth in the Coastal Conference with Victoria, although the Grizzlies have a game in hand.
The Grizzlies were slow out of the gate, not getting their first shot until the 12-minute mark of the opening period but the Express managed just one goal on Oliver Auyeung-Ashton courtesy rookie Coco Armstrong.
Devon deVries got that back for Victoria in the second period, taking a Hoyt Stanley pass and beating Adam Manji on a breakway.
The Grizzlies get a day off today before the re-match with the Express on Sunday afternoon. Coquitlam heads up the Malahat today to face the Cowichan Valley Capitals in Duncan.
