After a slow start, everything was coming up roses for the Victoria Grizzlies on Friday night at The Q Centre.
After the players presented their moms with roses during a pre-game ceremony to kick start Family Weekend, the Grizzlies went to work on the ice and, led by Charlie Campbell and another impressive outing in net by veteran Kurtis Chapman, defeated a hard-working bunch of Trail Smoke Eaters 5-2.
Campbell scored two goals in the third period, the last one on a power play, and then Chapman did the rest in the final 20 minutes as the Grizzlies were outshot 41-32 but improved their Island Division-leading record to 13-7-0-1.
After a scoreless first period, the Grizzlies opened the scoring on the power play midway through the second frame when Riley Hughes scored his first of two on the night after Alex Newhook found him alone in the slot for a one-timer.
The Smoke Eaters didn鈥檛 waste any time after that, drawing even in the game as Carter Jones tallied a minute after Hughes鈥� marker.
Trail, last in a tough Interior Division with a 7-9-3-1 record, kept coming the rest of the middle period but Chapman held the fort until his teammates got on track. That happened just 26 seconds into the third as Campbell slid one past Smoke Eaters goalie Tanner Marshall from in close.
Bryce Anderson finally solved Chapman with a mid-third period breakaway, but Campbell struck again midway through the third to send the Grizzlies to their second straight victory.
Hughes and Ryan Nolan added empty-netters in the final minute as the Grizzlies鈥� penalty-killing unit paved the way, killing off three Trail power plays late in the third.
Newhook finished with two assists to push his team-leading point total to 32.
The Grizzlies now have a day off to enjoy with their families and then welcome the Nanaimo Clippers to The Q Centre on Sunday afternoon.
LOOSE PUCKS: Following Sunday鈥檚 game, the Grizzlies will play their next five games on the road, starting next Saturday in Duncan against the Cowichan Valley Capitals.
