COWICHAN VALLEY 5
VICTORIA 4
Attempting to win two straight games for the first time this season, the Victoria Grizzlies fell short in a 5-4 loss to the visiting Cowichan Valley Capitals on Sunday afternoon at The Q Centre.
Cole Pickup scored his team-leading fifth goal of the season to give the Grizzlies a 4-3 lead with just 1:49 remaining in the second period, but Adam Osczevski and Luke Santerno replied with third-period markers for the Capitals.
Cowichan claimed its third straight one-goal victory over the Grizzlies this season, improving to 8-2-1-2, third overall in the entire sa国际传媒 Hockey League. Victoria slumps to a league worst 2-9-0-2 as it prepares for a three-game road trip to the Okanagan this weekend.
Santerno scored a pair for the Capitals, who battled back from three one-goal deficits on the afternoon. Carter Cochrane (on a power play) and Matthew Hudie (short-handed) had the other Cowichan goals.
Rookie Jospeh Visconti collected his first two goals (one short-handed) for Victoria, while fellow first-year teammate Keyvan Mokhtari scored his second in as many games. Another freshman, Tyler Welsh, recorded two assists in consecutive outings.
The Grizzlies also lost leading point-getter Brayden Gelsinger to injury in the second period and he did not return.
Mitchell Benson made 25 saves in goal for the Grizzlies, while Capitals starter Storm Phaneuf blocked 30 before being replaced by affiliated call-up Michael Lenko for the final 5:56 of play after sustaining an injury.
Lenko stopped all five shots he faced and newcomer Rhett Wilcox, acquired in a trade with Trail on Friday, recorded two assists for the winners.
Cowichan鈥檚 power play went 1-for-6 in the game while the Grizzlies were blanked on three man-advantage opportunities. Victoria鈥檚 power-play remains second-worst in the 17-team league at just a 13.33 per cent success rate, while Cowichan is fourth overall in that department at 23.21 per cent.
Just a point down to the Island Division-leading Powell River Kings, the Capitals are 6-0-0-1 against divisional opponents.
