VICTORIA 2
POWELL RIVER 1
听
Former standout and captain Brian Nugent raised the seventh-man flag on Friday night, a new tradition established by the Victoria Grizzlies.
The sa国际传媒 Hockey League club then went out and posted up its first two points of the new 2016-17 season, defeating the Powell River Kings 2-1 in the debut for both clubs before an announced crowd of 1,017 at The Q Centre.
It took the Grizzlies five games to collect win No. 1 last season so, needless to say, it was a relief for what is a much more veteran-laden club.
鈥淲e worked really hard for this one, we battled for three periods and it was a grind,鈥� said Brett Sterling, who had the opening goal at 9:46 of the first period on a power-play feed from Cole Pickup. 鈥淔or sure, it鈥檚 nice to get the first win in that first game.鈥�
It took the Grizzlies just 17 seconds to strike with the man advantage as Stirling, who had only four goals last season, needed just his first shot to get on the board, as he ripped his shot off the goalpost and in behind Kings鈥� netminder Brian Wilson.
The goal came 4:45 after the game was halted due to a fire alarm and the building had to be vacated due to regulations.
Grizzlies鈥� goaltender Matthew Galajda made a big glove save off Kyle Betts early in the second period and Victoria defenceman Nico Somerville hit the crossbar late in the same frame. Justin Michaelian added some insurance with 7:50 to go in the third as he popped the puck in from a bad angle.
Liam Lawson broke Galajda鈥檚 shut-out bid with 39.6 seconds left and with Wilson pulled for an extra attacker.
鈥淚t was a tough game. That鈥檚 a good hockey club over there,鈥� said Victoria head coach and general manager Craig Didmon. 鈥淏ut I thought all our guys showed up to play tonight and I thought our defence and goaltending showed to be our strength. I鈥檇 like to put more pucks in the net, but that will come.鈥�
The Grizzlies will play host to the Alberni Valley Bulldogs tonight at 7. Alberni defeated the 2015-16 Island Division champion Nanaimo Clippers 4-1 at Frank Crane Arena on Friday as Tristan Bukovec scored all four.
IN THE DEN: The Kings鈥� top line of Tristan Mullin, Betts and Cam Donaldson have all committed to Cornell University, where Galajda (who made 27 saves) will play next season.
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