Highlight Reel Hesselgrave Ends it in OT

Carter Hesselgrave won a key defensive zone faceoff, toe-dragged a sliding defenseman off a bank pass from Trent LeDrew, and slid the puck through the legs of Mikus Vecvanags to give the Spruce Kings a 2-1 win with 13.9 in overtime on Friday night against the Victoria Grizzlies.

After a scoreless first period, Artur Gross got the Grizzlies on the board, banking one off the right shoulder of Ryder Green and in after Ozbej Rep had fallen in the defensive zone.

The Spruce Kings responded though 2:50 later, as Mason Loewen fired the puck off both posts and in to tie the game. The play began with a great pass from Rep to River Arnason, who dished it back to Rep.  Off his backhand, Rep then found Hesselgrave down low and his one touch pass was hammered home by Loewen.

The two teams went scoreless in the third, setting up the Hesselgrave heroics.

With a defensive zone draw in the final minute of overtime, Hesselgrave was tasked with the faceoff alongside LeDrew and Nick Bianchi.  The Grizzlies got a chance off the draw, but Green made the pad save and LeDrew chipped it off the boards away from Max Silver.

Then with Hesselgrave leaving the zone, LeDrew sent the perfect bank pass off the boards as Bianchi and Hesselgrave stayed just onside, and Hesselgrave pulled off the toe-drag around the sliding defender and slid it five-hole to end the game and earn 1st star.

The Spruce Kings head to Alberni Valley tomorrow night to take on the Bulldogs.