VICTORIA聽 3
VERNON聽 0
After spending the week looking up at a team in the sa国际传媒 Hockey League鈥檚 Island Division standings 鈥� something they haven鈥檛 done in a long time 鈥� the Victoria Grizzlies decided to do something about it.
Backed by another impressive effort from goaltender Matthew Galajda, the Grizzlies won one of their games in hand on the Powell River Kings, beating the Vernon Vipers 3-0 in front of 891 fans on Saturday night at The Q Centre.
The victory improved the Grizzlies鈥� record to 13-3-2-3, moving them one point up on the Kings, who were idle Saturday, but host the Chilliwack Chiefs today.
Galajda and the Grizzlies have now gone a little more than seven periods without allowing a goal.
鈥淭wo straight shutouts is quite a weekend but I owe it to our D-men,鈥� said Galajda, who made 22 saves to improve his record to 10-4. 鈥淭hey did a great job of keeping them to the outside and when they did get shots, they cleared the rebound and did a great job in front of me.鈥�
Galajda, who is headed next season to the NCAA and Cornell University, last allowed a goal late in the second period of last Sunday鈥檚 loss in Trail. 鈥淭he last time I had a run like this was back in prep school when I got four straight shutouts, but this is definitely the best I鈥檝e done in junior.鈥�
The Vipers got great work from their goalie as well, as 17-year-old Cole Demers kept the Grizzlies鈥� forwards at bay until early in the third period when Jake Stevens slid a pass to Lucas Clark in the slot and the rookie one-timed a shot for his fifth goal of the season and a 1-0 Victoria lead.
The close game took a nasty turn midway through the third when the Vipers started taking some runs at the likes of Grizzlies stars Tyler Welsh and Cole Pickup. Pickup finally had enough and delivered a bone-jarring hit on Vernon defenceman Chris Jandric and received a five-minute major and game misconduct with 10 minutes to go.
But the Grizzlies鈥� league-best penalty killing unit went to work and scored two short-handed goals, thanks to quick counter-attacks. Welsh got the first on a breakaway and Justin Michaelian the other on a nice feed form Cody Van Lierop on a two-on-one.
鈥淭oday, you saw how solid our defence is because Vernon has some big forwards,鈥� said Grizzlies GM and head coach Craig Didmon. 鈥淭here were some theatrics in the third, but our PK unit continues to play well and that can be the difference in the game sometimes.鈥�
Didmon said the Grizzlies are a motivated bunch now, especially with how close the race is for first on the Island.
鈥淲e want to be at that next level, not just on the Island, but we want to chase down the Pentictons and be among the top teams.鈥�
The Grizzlies now turn their attention to a first-place showdown with the Kings next weekend in Powell River. They鈥檒l face the Kings on Friday and Saturday at Hap Parker Arena.
