Score a goal. Check.
Score on the power play. Check.
Get a much-needed result. Check.
The Victoria Grizzlies crossed a trio of must-dos off their list on Tuesday night, winning Game 3 of their best-of-seven opening sa国际传媒 Hockey League playoff series 3-2 over the Nanaimo Clippers at Frank Crane Arena.
After being shut out 3-0 in Game 2 on Saturday and going 0-for-11 on man-advantage situations over the first two games, the Grizzlies came through early on both counts. Falling behind 1-0 on Sean Buchanan鈥檚 power-play goal just 4:57 in, Victoria struck back with a pair of power-play tallies of their own by Cole Pickup and Jamie Rome over a five-minute stretch of the opening frame.
Pickup鈥檚 goal snapped a run of 100 minutes and 48 seconds since the Grizzlies had beaten Clippers goalie Evan DeBrouwer 鈥� way back in the second period of a 1-0 Game 1 win.
Justin Michaelian鈥檚 even-strength goal, just 30 seconds into the third period, held up as the game-winner as Victoria takes a 2-1 series lead. Game 4 goes tonight in Nanaimo and Game 5 is Friday back at The Q Centre.
鈥淭he guys had faced some adversity for six periods and it seemed like today they really battled,鈥� said Grizzlies general manager and head coach Craig Didmon. 鈥淭hey were a good, complete hockey club.
鈥淲e鈥檙e happy that the power play was able to find the twine and Matt Galajda made some big stops, too.鈥�
The power play finally snapped to attention, but Victoria鈥檚 second-best penalty-killing unit in the regular season (at a healthy 83.8 per cent) is suddenly leaking oil, allowing four goals on 13 chances to the Clippers in the three games. Lucas Finner had the other Nanaimo goal, also on the man advantage.
Unlike the first two outings, the Grizzlies鈥� best players were their best players, something Didmon definitely desired, and the team continues to be undefeated in Nanaimo, winning all five times.
DeBrouwer made 33 saves for the Clippers while Galajda stopped 35 shots for Victoria.
The Grizzlies did lose defenceman Brett Stirling with seven seconds to play as he was tagged for a major penalty and game misconduct for a blow to the head that may warrant a league suspension.
