Matthew Galajda made all 39 saves and Keyvan Mokhtari scored twice as the Victoria Grizzlie defeated the host Chilliwack Chiefs 2-0 to even the Coastal finals 1-1.
The game was scoreless until late in the second period when Mokhtari scored on the power play at 18:45. It would be all the offensive support Galajda would need on the night.
In the third, the Chiefs threw everything they had at the Grizzlies net, outshooting Victoria 19-3 and 39-17 for the game. But Galajda could not be beaten in earning his third shutout of the playoffs, which was the same total he had in 40 regular-season games. He was also the game’s 1st Star. The series shifts to Victoria now with Game 3 set for Monday night in a 7 p.m. start.
In Penticton, the Vees evened the Interior finals 1-1 with a 4-2 triumph over the Vernon Vipers.
After scoring twice in the first, the Vees got the game-winner off the stick of Taylor Sanheim on the power play late in the second. Mitch Meek and Nic Jones scored on the man advantage in the first to make it 2-0 Vees after one but in the second, Jesse Lansdell and Cameron Trott replied for Vernon to even the score 2-2.
Sanheim’s goal, his second of the postseason, came at 18:48 of the second and put Penticton ahead for good. In the third, Jared Nash added on for the Vees, also his second of the playoffs. Game 3 goes Monday night in Vernon in a 7 p.m. start.
