Just when you think you鈥檝e seen Alex Newhook do it all for the Victoria Grizzlies, the 18-year-old captain pulls another trick out of his book of magic.
Needing six points in the Grizzlies鈥� final two regular season games to reach the 100-point mark, Newhook decided: Why wait until the last game to reach the elusive mark that no Grizzlies player has hit since NHLer Tyler Bozak racked up 111 points in the 2006-07 season?
The speedy centre, expected to go in the first round of this summer鈥檚 NHL draft, scored three goals and added five assists Friday to give him a sa国际传媒 Hockey League-best 101 points and get the Grizzlies a much-needed 10-6 win over the Nanaimo Clippers.
The victory keeps the Grizzlies four points ahead of the Powell River Kings in the race for the Island Division title and gives Victoria a chance to secure home- ice advantage in the first two rounds of the playoffs with a win on home ice Sunday against the Cowichan Valley Capitals.
The night started with a Newhook goal 9:30 into the first. The St. John鈥檚, N.L., product kept his foot on the gas pedal to rack up his 15th game with three points or more and his second game of the season with at least seven points. Just as he drew it up on the chalkboard.
鈥淣o, I didn鈥檛 think I could get eight points and reach 100 tonight. This was just one of those nights,鈥� Newhook said after being mobbed by his teammates upon being named the no-brainer first star.
鈥淚 just wanted to play well and help my team get the win, because this is a huge weekend for us if we want to win the division.鈥�
It鈥檚 a good thing Newhook brought his 鈥淎鈥� game because the Clippers meant business all night, despite being locked in third place for weeks.
Nanaimo stormed back from being 3-0 down early in the second to draw even and stay close until midway through the third period.
Kenny Johnson (2), Cam Thompson, Kyle McGrath, Charlie Campbell, Riley Hughes and Jeremie Bucheler had the other goals for the Grizzlies, who improved to 35-18-0-4.
Sammy Steele, Kyler Kovich, Thomas Samuelsen, Joshua Bourne, Tyler Williams and Marcus Mitchell had the Clippers鈥� goals as Nanaimo falls to 26-30-1-0.
Kurtis Chapman made 35 saves for his 26th win of the season, while Landon Pavlisin stopped 26 Grizzlies鈥� shots.
