James Davenport is enjoying life. He鈥檚 a 19-year-old American playing the sport he loves in one of the most picturesque cities in sa国际传媒.
But the Victoria Grizzlies鈥� rookie defenceman鈥檚 stay on the Island looks like it鈥檒l be a short one, thanks to the lure of playing NCAA Div. 1 hockey in his back yard.
Davenport, who leads Grizzlies鈥� blue-liners in goals with seven and points with 22, recently committed to play next fall at Northeastern University in Boston. The Natick, Massachusetts, native had committed to Brown University last year, but when things didn鈥檛 look like they would work out at Brown and Northeastern came calling, Davenport didn鈥檛 hesitate.
鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 say yes quick enough,鈥� Davenport said Friday as the Grizzlies prepared for tonight鈥檚 sa国际传媒 Hockey League contest in Port Alberni against the Bulldogs.
鈥淣ortheastern is just such a great opportunity for me. My hometown, a Beanpot [tournament] team, I鈥檝e just always wanted to go there.鈥�
Davenport will also have some familiar faces at Northeastern as Riley Hughes and Jeremie Bucheler, two players from last year鈥檚 Grizzlies squad, are currently with the Huskies, who play in the Hockey East conference, alongside former Grizzlies captain Alex Newhook鈥檚 Boston College team, Boston University, and Merrimack College, where another former Grizzlies player from a year ago, Ryan Nolan, plays. And current Grizzlies forward Chase McInnis is committed to Northeastern for the fall of 2021.
鈥淚 played with Riley in high school, and know Bucheler a little bit, and with Chase heading there later, there鈥檚 going to a whole cast of buddies on the team so it鈥檚 going to be a fun time,鈥� Davenport said.
Grizzlies GM and head coach Craig Didmon says, while he鈥檚 disappointed he won鈥檛 have Davenport patrolling the Grizzlies鈥� blue line next season, it鈥檚 鈥渢he nature of the beast.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 unfortunate we don鈥檛 get him for another year, however, credit to James on his work ethic and the organization for helping move another player on to college hockey,鈥� said Didmon.
鈥淛ames has found his comfort zone over the last couple of months and we鈥檝e leaned on him for offence from the blue line and he has risen to the opportunity.
鈥淗e鈥檚 a good player, good teammate and we are hoping he can continue to help us improve and are looking forward to a good playoff run ahead that he will be a big part of.鈥�
How long a playoff run Victoria has will likely be determined in these last few weeks of the regular season. The Grizzlies (19-29-1) are unlikely to catch the Bulldogs (24-20-3) for fourth place in the Island Division, so their focus has turned to getting the top wild-card seed which will have them avoid playing the top two teams in the Interior Division 鈥� Penticton Vees and Trail Smoke Eaters 鈥� in the first round of the playoffs. The top wild-card team will start the playoffs on the road against the third-place team in the Interior, currently the Vernon Vipers. The Grizzlies, at 39 points, currently hold the first of three wild-card berths. The Prince George Spruce Kings are in the second wild-card spot with 37 points, while the West Kelowna Warriors are the third wild-card team at 36 points, but have played one game more than the Grizzlies.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 our goal, to be the top wild-card team, and that all starts with having a good game tonight and keeping our little streak going,鈥� said Davenport, who has helped the Grizzlies rack up three wins and an overtime loss in their last four games.
鈥淎lberni is a great team and we鈥檝e both played each other a lot so we know what we have to do and how we need to come out and play our game and we鈥檙e confident we鈥檒l do that.鈥�
LOOSE PUCKS: The Grizzlies will again be without veteran forward Eddie Yan as he鈥檚 with Team China at the Div. II B world junior championship in South Korea.
Twitter.com/tc_vicsports
