It鈥檚 amazing how less stressful and easier life can be for a sa国际传媒 Hockey League team 鈥� and, in particular, a coaching staff 鈥� when it can score seven to nine goals a game.
The Victoria Grizzlies are breathing a little easier after popping those 16 goals by Island Division opponents over the weekend, via 9-4 and 7-4 victories over Nanaimo and Powell River, respectively, snapping a five-game losing skid.
They now set their sights on the Alberni Valley Bulldogs in an away contest tonight at 7 before returning home for a pair of home dates this weekend to close out the 2017 portion of the schedule before the Christmas break.
鈥淵eah, it鈥檚 quite nice,鈥� said 16-year-old scoring sensation Alex Newhook, who was named BCHL player of the week for the second time after recording 10 points in his last three games. 鈥淚 just think for us, we鈥檝e been outplaying a lot of teams lately, but we鈥檝e been waiting for bounces to come our way.
鈥淲e found that this weekend with guys finding the back of the net. It鈥檚 definitely good for our team.鈥�
Newhook, who had four-point outings in both of the two wins, has hit it off on a new line with Jamie Rome and Ethan Nother.
Newhook 鈥� who has 14 points in his last eight games, including six goals 鈥� has found his way in his first BCHL season, with 12 goals and 35 points in 28 games to date, tied for 10th heading into Tuesday play. He also has six multiple-assist games and nine multiple-point performances overall as he establishes himself as an obvious rookie of the year candidate.
Rome, of Calgary, has 11 goals and 19 assists in 32 games and after a slow start, in which he had just four points in seven games, the veteran has collected 15 points in his last 12.
Nother, of London, Ont., started strong with nine points in his first 10 games in the league, then stalled out with eight in the next 21, but has potted five points in the last three.
The line was put together after a 5-3 loss in Cowichan Valley and before the two big wins.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 working out,鈥� said Newhook, of St. John鈥檚, Nfld. 鈥淥ur line is working well together and we鈥檝e got good chemistry going. We seem to be finding the back of the net so far and we hope to continue to do that and keep producing in helping our team the way we are.鈥�
Rome, the veteran on the line who is bound for Western Michigan of the NCAA next fall, was in full agreement.
鈥淭he line seemed to work pretty well on the weekend and, hopefully, we can keep that going,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f we can keep that offensive production going and along with our defensive zone coverage, which is getting better, we鈥檒l keep getting wins.
鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely a change from what we were doing there for a while,鈥� he added of the sudden surge in scoring.
鈥淲e couldn鈥檛 seem to find the back of the net no matter what we did. Luckily, now all the pucks are going in and hopefully we keep this going, for sure.鈥�
Newhook, who is committed to Boston College for the fall of 2019 and is touted as a possible first-round pick in the NHL draft in two years time, has proven he can play at this level.
鈥淚 got a lot of help from my teammates and linemates, especially. They鈥檙e putting the puck in the net a fair bit, which helps me and it鈥檚 good for the team,鈥� said the well-spoken teenager, who has seven assists in the last two games.
Can he become a top five league scorer or rookie of the year in the second half? Time will tell.
鈥淵ou never know. It would be great to get up there, but I鈥檓 just going to keep worrying about creating as much as I can and that stuff will come,鈥� he said of reaching the top five.
As for rookie of the year, he isn鈥檛 sweating that either.
鈥淭hat would definitely be a big title and a big deal, for sure, but I鈥檓 not going to worry about that either 鈥� that鈥檚 something that will come as well, if and when they decide. Hopefully, I just keep playing the way I am, keep this going here and get some more wins.鈥�
