Ethan Nother is a bit of a slow starter.
Just ask his coaches.
But once he gets going, there aren鈥檛 many who can match the hands and hockey IQ of the Victoria Grizzlies 20-year-old forward.
Nother came to the Grizzlies last summer from London, Ont., where he spent last season helping his hometown Nationals to the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League championship series. That was Junior B.
In September, he suited up for his first game with the Grizzlies, and it admittedly took him a while to get his confidence and get used to his new surroundings, but you鈥檇 never know it now.
Nother has quickly vaulted into the top 15 in sa国际传媒 Hockey League scoring and has helped make the Grizzlies鈥� top line as lethal as they come. At the Christmas break, Nother had a rather pedestrian 29 points in 37 games. Fast forward to this week鈥檚 final two regular season games, and the five-foot-nine, 155-pound winger has 28 points in his last 19 games and had a seven-game point streak halted last Friday in Salmon Arm.
鈥淗e took some time to adjust, no question, and his coach last year told me he might,鈥� Grizzlies GM and head coach Craig Didmon said this week as he prepared his club for tonight鈥檚 contest against the Alberni Valley Bulldogs at The Q Centre.
鈥淏ut once he found his stride, became more comfortable away from the rink, you really saw him take off and he鈥檚 a real big reason our team is where we are, fighting for first in the division.鈥�
Nother, who was ready to play U Sports hockey for the London-based Western Ontario Mustangs before Didmon came calling, said it was just a matter of getting to know his teammates.
鈥淏eing a 20-year-old, I have a lot of junior experience so the games and the grind aren鈥檛 totally new to me, but it鈥檚 definitely a lot faster hockey out here than where I played last season so there was an adjustment period,鈥� said Nother, whose 25 goals and four game-winning goals are both tops on the Grizzlies.
鈥淎nd these last few months the whole team has really jelled so that helps and we鈥檙e seeing good results.鈥�
They鈥檙e going to need more good results, and some help, if they鈥檙e going to finish in top spot in the Island Division. The Grizzlies are tied for first in the division with the Powell River Kings at 68 points, but the Kings have three games remaining and the Grizzlies just two 鈥� tonight against the Bulldogs and Sunday afternoon against the Surrey Eagles, also at The Q Centre.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a little disappointing not to control our own destiny,鈥� Nother added. 鈥淏ut we鈥檙e going to come out and try to win these last two games and hopefully that鈥檚 enough to secure [first place].鈥�
Nother鈥檚 recent success hasn鈥檛 gone unnoticed. He鈥檚 starting to hear from top NCAA Div. 1 schools as he prepares for life after the Grizzlies.
鈥淚鈥檝e heard from a few Div. 1 schools recently so now it鈥檚 a matter of writing the SAT (which he鈥檒l do next month) and getting a good score on that.
鈥淏ut I鈥檓 also intrigued by playing at home at Western in front of family and friends so we鈥檒l have to wait and see what happens.鈥�
Nother spent the first few months playing with different linemates, but for the last couple of months has been paired up with veteran Jamie Rome and star rookie Alex Newhook. Then Newhook went down with a wrist injury, but the line hasn鈥檛 missed a beat with Cam Thompson playing at centre.
鈥淐am has been great and Jamie is Jamie. He can score, he can pass, he can check, so they鈥檝e been great to play with,鈥� Nother said. 鈥淎nd Alex is an unbelievable talent and he鈥檚 supposed to be ready for playoffs so that will be huge.鈥�
Newhook hasn鈥檛 been the only injury the Grizzlies have had to worry about. Captain Lucas Clark just returned from missing five games and now veteran Justin Michaelian was injured on last weekend鈥檚 road trip and he鈥檚 likely out until playoffs.
鈥淚t has been a bid of a bad run with injuries, but that鈥檚 part of hockey,鈥� said Didmon. 鈥淥ther guys have stepped up and done well for us and we鈥檒l need more of that this weekend.鈥�
LOOSE PUCKS: The BCHL announced its finalists for year-end awards Wednesday and Newhook was front and centre. The St. John鈥檚 N.L., product is the Island Division representative for the league鈥檚 most valuable player and rookie of the year awards. For MVP, Newhook is up against Ethan de Jong of the Prince George Spruce Kings and Jasper Weatherby of the Wenatchee Wild. The other two finalists for rookie of the year are Corey Andonovski of the Chilliwack Chiefs and Josh Prokop of the Vernon Vipers.
