(Image Credit: Victoria Grizzlies)

By Victor Kaisar

Spruce Kings 2 Grizzlies 1 OT

Hesselgrave’s heroics lift Spruce Kings to overtime win in Victoria

Jan 24, 2026 | 9:46 AM

VICTORIA — Carter Hesselgrave scored a highlight reel goal to give the Prince George Spruce Kings a 2-1 overtime win against the Victoria Grizzlies in BCHL action Friday (Jan. 23) night.

It’s the Spruce Kings (19-13-1-0) third win in a row, as they sit third in the Coastal Conference with 39 points from 33 games, two points ahead of Nanaimo (17-13-3-0) and Alberni Valley (17-14-3-0).

The Grizzlies (15-16-2-0) struck first when Artur Gross scored at 14:01 of the second period. The Spruce Kings pulled back even through Mason Loewen’s seventh of the year at 16:51. Loewen fired the puck off both posts past Victoria netminder Mikus Vecvanags.

After a scoreless third period, Hesselgrave called game in the dying seconds of overtime after he toe-dragged a sliding Grizzlies defenseman following a bank pass from Trent LeDrew, and slid the puck through the legs of Vecvanags.

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Ryder Green made 37 saves on 38 shots – including a key save just seconds before Hesselgrave’s heroics – to pick up the win for the Spruce Kings. Vecvanags stopped 29 of 31 he faced in a losing effort.

The Spruce Kings continue on the road as they head into Alberni Valley to face the Bulldogs at 7:00 p.m. this evening.