From Greg Sakaki/Nanaimo News Bulletin
After spotting themselves a 2-0 lead the Victoria Grizzlies let the Nanaimo Clippers right back in their playoff series on Monday night.
Nanaimo defeated Victoria 6-2 in Game 3 at Frank Crane Arena.
It was a solid win, especially considering that the Grizz had won with relative ease in the first two games in Victoria. But on Monday, the Clippers kept pushing around an under-manned Grizzlies team and finally got rewarded.
Andrew Gladiuk, Sam Labrecque and Mike Domsodi scored first-period goals to stake the Shipmen to a 3-1 advantage, then Domsodi added another midway through the third. Former Clipper Dustin Johnson replied with his second goal of the game to make it 4-2 going into the third.
Ten minutes into the final frame, Leo Fitzgerald won a race to a puck and scored on a wrister, then with five minutes left Danick Malouin banked in an empty netter off the side boards.
Talented forward Dustin Johnson scored twice for Victoria in his return from the Junior B KIJHL.
Just as the Grizzlies won Game 2 by literally jamming the puck through the goalie's pads on two occasions Saturday night, the Clippers did the same on Monday.
"We worked hard and battled hard for those goals…" Namaimo's Domsodi said. "We got a lot of garbage goals as they call them, but they still count."
Nanaimo also carried over its physical play from Game 2, bumping and bruising an injury-troubled Victoria team.
GAME ON … The Nanaimo Clippers and Victoria Grizzlies play Game 4 on Tuesday (March 1) at 7:10 p.m. at Frank Crane Arena … Game 5 will be Thursday at 7:15 p.m. at Bear Mountain Arena in Victoria.