Two teams heading in opposite directions meet head-on at The Q Centre this afternoon at 2 as the Trail Smoke Eaters, who led the entire sa国际传媒 Hockey League standings prior to Saturday play, visit the Victoria Grizzlies.
After suffering their second shut-out loss at home in the last three games, the 10-8-2-0 Grizzlies are looking to snap out of a tailspin.
They will attempt to do it against the 14-4-1-0 Smoke Eaters, who had won nine of their last 10 (ahead of Saturday鈥檚 visit to Cowichan Valley), with the one setback a 9-0 thumping at the hands of Vernon.
Trail had also scored a league-leading 80 goals before its visit to Duncan and defeated visiting Victoria 5-4 back on Oct. 13, after the Grizzlies battled back from a 4-1 deficit to tie it, only to lose in the third period.
Since that loss, Victoria has scored just 18 goals in its past nine outings, eight of those coming in back-to-back wins over Alberni Valley and Nanaimo.
It was a frustrated looking general manager and head coach Craig Didmon who stepped out of the dressing room after Friday鈥檚 disappointing 6-0 loss to Merritt.
鈥淲ell, we鈥檝e had two goals in nine periods, so we have to figure something out. I think we鈥檙e just getting outworked. Until they get that out of their heads we鈥檙e not a contender, we鈥檙e a pretender,鈥� he said of his group.
Asked what needs to change, Didmon pinpointed the play of his leadership group.
鈥淚t鈥檚 up to the [dressing] room. They need to figure it out. We鈥檝e been doing this a long time. It鈥檚 not like we鈥檙e doing anything different all of a sudden.
鈥淚t starts with the leadership group, the guys wearing letters [captains and assistants] and our 20-year-olds. They have to want it more. For us, we can鈥檛 get out-worked and it鈥檚 disappointing.鈥�
Captain Lucas Clark was in full agreement.
鈥淚鈥檓 going to put it on us, yeah,鈥� Clark said of the leadership group. 鈥淲e should know better. I鈥檓 20 years old and I鈥檝e played junior for a long time. It鈥檚 my job to make sure everyone comes in with the right mindset.
鈥淓veryone can hype themselves up with their own pre-game rituals. I鈥檓 playing injured right now, but there are no excuses, right. On the ice, I think everyone has to battle for the guy next to him and the leadership and the 20-year-olds have to show that first.鈥�
That task becomes taller with Trail venturing in, although the Smoke Eaters will be playing a third game in three days while the Grizzlies rested Saturday.
Trail has turned around its franchise drastically in the past two years and is a true contender. The team is led by Kale Howarth, a 20-year-old from Red Deer, Alta., who was drafted 148th overall in Round 5 by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2017.
The six-foot-five, 200-pound forward had 58 points last season and was already at 28 heading to Duncan on Saturday.
Owner Rich Murphy, a Minnesota businessman, has rejuvenated the historic franchise, which won the 1961 world championship gold medal, with general manager and head coach Cam Keith.
鈥淲e want to make sure the kids we bring in respect the town that we鈥檙e in and the history [the club] brings with it. That all ties itself together,鈥� Keith said earlier this season.
Trail has improved its record each year since a dreadful 10-42-4-2 log in 2013-14. Last year, the Smokes Eaters were a .500 hockey club and lost out in the first round of the playoffs.
