It鈥檚 come down to this: A race to nail down a playoff spot in what has become a back and forth scrap to secure what will probably be the fourth-and-final post-season berth in the Island Division.
The Victoria Grizzlies are two points up on the Alberni Valley Bulldogs, who lost 6-3 Thursday night to the Nanaimo Clippers and have seven games remaining in their schedule, one less than the Grizzlies.
Urgency has been ramped up even further as the Grizzlies play host to the Merritt Centennials tonight at 7 at The Q Centre, before taking on a solid Chilliwack Chiefs club on Sunday afternoon in Colwood.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got to get it done. It鈥檚 playoff time right now. We鈥檝e got to show up like it鈥檚 our last time together as a team and, if we don鈥檛, it will be,鈥� Grizzlies veteran Cole Pickup said of the stretch run.
鈥淲e know Alberni is going to be ready so at this point we have to treat it like it鈥檚 the playoffs now. We have to show up and be ready to play all these teams and adapt to what they bring. There鈥檚 no reason why we can鈥檛.鈥�
It will be a tough go, however, as Merritt is the only team the Grizzlies play which is below .500 in the standings. The Centennials were 19-27-4-1 prior to Friday鈥檚 visit to Cowichan Valley.
Alberni Valley does have two games against Merritt, but they do have games against weak Prince George and Surrey teams as well.
The bottom line is, the Grizzlies still control their own destiny, but they need to snap out of what is now a five-game losing skid.
Pickup stated the team needs to limit its errors over these last eight games.
鈥淔or the most part, in these last couple of games, we鈥檝e made mistakes and pucks have ended up in our net. They鈥檝e been those types of games,鈥� he said.
Asked if he believes the Grizzlies have what it takes to qualify for post-season play, Pickup steadfastly answered: 鈥淔or sure we can. Just looking at our roster, when we play at our best there is no reason why we shouldn鈥檛 be in the playoffs. We have to show up and play.鈥�
The Grizzlies have not been at their best over this latest stretch, however, allowing 28 goals against and scoring 13 times during this five-game skid. Included in that mix was a disconcerting 7-2 thumping by Nanaimo and a disheartening 7-5 loss to Penticton, in which Victoria led 5-1 late in the second period.
There鈥檚 no time to mope about it though, said Pickup.
鈥淲e have to get back at it here. We all thought we played better in Powell River [a 4-1 loss including an empty-net goal]. Again, whatever mistakes we made ended up in our net,鈥� he said.
