The Victoria Grizzlies’ playoff run ended in heartbreak Friday night in Chilliwack.
Backed by a raucous crowd of 2,246 at the Chilliwack Coliseum, the hometown Chiefs edged the Grizzlies 5-4 in Game 5 to win the Coastal Conference final and advance to the B.C. Hockey League’s Fred Page Cup championship series.
Victoria clawed back from an early 2-0 deficit and even held a second-period lead, but couldn’t find a late equalizer as their deepest playoff run since 2019 came to a close.
Reegan Hiscock led the way with two goals and two assists in a four-point night – a performance that helped him earn BCHL second star of the week honours.
Tobias Pitka and Thomas Molson each chipped in with power-play goals for Victoria. While Hiscock’s two tallies – his ninth and tenth of the postseason – briefly gave the Grizzlies a 3-2 lead, the Chiefs’ lethal power play struck again to tie it before the second intermission.
Chilliwack’s man advantage capitalized three times in Game 5, and five times on 19 chances throughout the series.
Mateo Mrsic and Dwayne Jean Jr. scored in the third to give the Chiefs a 5-3 cushion. While Molson’s 11th goal of the playoffs pulled Victoria back within one, the comeback ultimately fell short.
Goaltender Kyle Kelsey turned aside 34 shots in the loss, with Olivier Auyeung-Ashton still out due to injury. On the other side, Quentin Miller – a Montreal Canadiens draft pick – made 24 saves for Chilliwack.
The win sends the Chiefs to the league final, where they’ll face either the Penticton Vees or Brooks Bandits. Penticton staved off elimination Friday with a 3-2 win, cutting Brooks’ series lead to 3-2 heading into Game 6 on Monday in Alberta.
Back in the conference final for the first time since 2019, the Grizzlies were chasing their first BCHL title since 2001, when the franchise was known as the Salsa. This time, the magic ran out just one round short.
Now, the focus shifts to the future, and for the Grizzlies, that means saying goodbye to a core group of veterans who helped carry the team this far.
Power forward Reegan Hiscock, who tallied 21 playoff points, will join Cornell University (NCAA), while Will Schumacher heads to Mercyhurst University (NCAA). Captain and Victoria native Jacksenn Hungle will suit up for the University of Calgary Dinos (U Sports).
The team will also part ways with two of its biggest defencemen. The 6'6" Charles Cote is off to the University of Moncton (U Sports), while 6'4" Easton Kovacs will join Toronto Metropolitan University (U Sports).
Goaltending could be a key area of focus in the offseason. Starter Auyeung-Ashton is eligible to join Colgate University (NCAA) after three seasons in Victoria, while 21-year-old backup Kelsey has aged out.
