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Victoria holds off Vipers

The Victoria Grizzlies grounded the Vernon Vipers 4-2 in BCHL play Friday night at Kal Tire Place.
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Luke Gingras of the Vernon Vipers is tripped up between Lucas Clark (right) and Nathan Looysen of the Victoria Grizzlies Friday night at Kal Tire Place.

The Victoria Grizzlies grounded the Vernon Vipers 4-2 in B.C. Hockey League play before 1,750 fans Friday night at Kal Tire Place.

Tim Friedmann (15th), d-man Cody Van Lierop (4th), first star Keyvan Mokhtari (19th) and Nathan Looysen (19th) into an empty net with 20 seconds remaining, scored for Victoria (36-11-3-4).

Friedmann and Van Lierop supplied goals 61 seconds apart early in the opening period with Mokhtari making it 3-0 with 84 seconds left in the stanza.

Ryan Brushett, with his ninth, and Brett Stapley, with his 13th, on powerplays seven minutes apart in the third period, answered for Vernon (28-18-5-4).

The Vipers outshot the Grizzlies 37-26 with Matthew Galajda improving to 24-9 with a marvellous showing. Ty Taylor dropped to 12-11.

Victoria took four of six minor penalties. Stapley, who just committed to the Denver University Pioneers for the 2018-19 season, was named the Fortis Energy Player of the game for Vernon. He supplied the goal of the night, taking a feed from Jimmy Lambert in stride and juking and jiving in front before going top shelf.

The Vipers host the Alberni Valley Bulldogs Saturday at 6 p.m., while the Grizzlies visit the West Kelowna Warriors at Royal LePage Place. The Salmon Arm Silverbacks shut out the Dawgs 4-0 Friday night at Shaw Centre, while the Warriors lost 5-0 to the Penticton Vees.