Galajda made 44 saves and the sa国际传媒 Hockey League鈥檚 top-ranked penalty-killing unit had a short-handed goal to lead the Grizzlies to 5-2 win over the Powell River Kings at Hap Parker Arena.
The victory moved the Grizzlies (14-3-3-2) into sole possession of first place in the Island Division, two points up on the Kings (15-8-1-0). The Grizzlies do have two games in hand on the Kings.
The Grizzlies poured it on early in Powell River, scoring three times before the game was 10 minutes old. Rookie Cam Thompson started the scoring with a high slapper past Kings starting netminder Mitch Adamyk just 2:26 into the opening frame. Grizzlies defenceman Drayson Pears then notched his first career BCHL game at the five minute mark, and that was followed two minutes later by T.J. Friedmann notching his fourth since coming over from the USHL late last month. That spelled the end for Adamyk, who was replaced by Brian Wilson.
After Keyvan Mokhtari scored his fourth shorthanded goal of the season (and the Grizzlies ninth), midway through the second, Kings forward Jonny Evans finally beat Galajda with a minute left in the period to get the home team on the board. The goal ended Galajda鈥檚 shutout streak at just over nine periods (182 minutes). Ian Ross added another for the Kings with 1:38 left in regulation and then Tyler Welsh hit the empty net to round out the scoring for the Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies were 1-for-6 on the power play, while the Kings were 0-for-7.
The two teams will play again today at 5 p.m. in Powell River.
LOOSE PUCKS: Grizzlies leading scorer Cole Pickup missed the game as he sat out the first of a four-game suspension for a hit from behind in last Saturday鈥檚 game against the Vernon Vipers.
