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There鈥檚 something about 19th birthdays in sa国际传媒 that tends to quench a young adult鈥檚 thirst.
It鈥檚 almost twice as much fun when you鈥檙e an import junior hockey player from the United States 鈥� where the legal drinking age is 21 鈥� and you can send the odd text or two back to your buddies, maybe rubbing it in a little.
Not that it matters for Jake Stevens.
The Victoria Grizzlies鈥� defenceman hopes to celebrate in a much different way this afternoon at 2 when the club plays Game 2 of its road trip in Powell River 鈥� following up on Saturday鈥檚 5-1 loss 鈥� with what the native of Naperville, Illinois, hopes will be a victory.
鈥淏eing from the States, where the age is 21, my parents wouldn鈥檛 like it much and I鈥檓 not much of a partier, anyway,鈥� Stevens, 19 today, said in his usual calm demeanour prior to the departure, dispelling any parental concerns of chugging his first legal beverage.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think we鈥檝e had any birthdays on the road this year. Actually, this might be the first. That鈥檒l be cool. It would be nice to get a birthday win on the road. I鈥檝e only been to Powell River the once (on a previous trip), but a win would make it real good,鈥� added Stevens, who led Grizzlies鈥� defencemen in goals with four and has six assists in his 27 games played prior to Saturday.
Weather tossed a wrench into Victoria鈥檚 travel plans on Saturday as the trip to Powell River turned into nearly a 12-hour excursion, with bad weather causing ferry cancellations and the bus to be re-routed.
The two-game series is an important one for both clubs.
Powell River is riding a five-game win streak and sits 17-10-0-4 in the Island Division standings. Victoria is 11-17-0-4 as the teams sneak up on the Christmas break, hoping to better position themselves.
Tristan Mullin, with a pair, Liam Lawson, Jonny Evans and Nick Halagian scored for the Kings on Saturday while Kevin Massy scored late for Victoria.
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