Ryan Nolan’s first goal of the postseason wound up being the winner for the Victoria Grizzlies in a 4-2 road win over the Alberni Valley Bullodgs that forces a Game 7 back in the Grizzlies’ home rink on Sunday.
Lach Hadley and Drayson Pears scored for the Grizzlies to put them up two after 20 minutes and in the second, Nolan scored to make it a three-goal edge for the visitors. Stephen Castagna got the Bulldogs on the board shortly after Nolan’s tally and it remained 2-1 heading to the third.
In the final frame, Jackson Doucet got Alberni Valley within one at the 4:22 mark but the Bulldogs couldn’t get the tying goal past Kurtis Chapman, who wound up with 31 saves in the win. Cam Thompson scored unassisted into an empty net to seal the win for Victoria. Game 7 is set for Sunday at 2 p.m. at The Q Centre in Victoria.
A three-goal third period, including the second goals of the night for both Carter Turnbull and Mitchell Williams, allowed the Powell River Kings to take a 6-4 home win over the Nanaimo Clippers and finish the series in six games. Jordan Wharrie opened the scoring for the visitors at 7:25 of the first and in the second, Neal Samanski tied it just 1:22 in with his fourth of the playoffs. The Clippers then got goals 28 seconds apart from Parker Colley and Cal Babych to take a 3-1 lead but the Kings replied with Turnbull’s first. Josh Bourne restored the Clips’ edge but Williams then got his first to get the Kings within one going to the third. The final frame belonged to the Kings with Gavin Rauser tying it early on and Turnbull getting the winner with under three minutes to go. Williams added the final tally in the last minute of play. Powell River advances to Round 2 and will await the winner of Sunday’s Alberni Valley-Victoria game.
In Chilliwack, Ryan Miotto and PJ Marrocco scored 41 seconds apart in the first period to give the Chiefs all the offence they’d need in a 6-1 home win over the Prince George Spruce Kings that forces a Game 7 back in PG Sunday night. Dustin Manz got the lone Spruce Kings goal late in the first but Kaden Pickering added on for Chilliwack in the second and in the final frame, it was Bryan Allbee and Ryan Bowen scoring empty-net goals and Miotto rounding out the scoring on the power play. Game 7 goes Sunday at 7 p.m. in Prince George.
