Tuesday night鈥檚 matchup between the visiting Nanaimo Clippers and Victoria Grizzlies has about as many angles as your last geometry class 鈥� and it could be as tough a test, too.
With a win, the Grizzlies can move into a tie for first place in the Island Division of the sa国际传媒 Hockey League. They sit two points back of the Clippers, who have played one more game than their Victoria rivals. The Powell River Kings are also tied in points with the Grizzlies at 47, but enjoy two games in hand on Victoria.
The 7 p.m. matchup at The Q Centre will be Darren Naylor鈥檚 first venture into the sa国际传媒 capital as the Clippers鈥� head coach and general manager.
鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to it, for sure,鈥� the former Victoria Cougar said when he took over the new duties from Mike Vandekamp, who was relieved of his position by owner Wes Mussio.
Said Grizzlies general manager and head coach Craig Didmon: 鈥淸The Clippers have] always been a hard-working team. They鈥檝e made some changes to their offensive game and how they play in their own zone. There are going to have to be adjustments made.鈥�
The game is an opportunity for the Grizzlies to extend their undefeated streak to nine games, which included one tie. Over that span, Victoria has outscored its opponents by just over a 2-to-1 margin at 43-21.
The newfound offence has come in handy, led by the line of 16-year-old sensation Alex Newhook, Jamie Rome and Ethan Nother.
Newhook, who has 47 points to sit first among rookies and tied for fifth overall in league scoring, has 22 points in his past nine outings. Rome has 14 points in his past 10 appearances and 39 overall, while Nother has collected 16 points in his past nine and 33 points overall.
T.J. Friedmann, who recently accepted a scholarship to Quinnipiac University in Hamden, sa国际传媒icut, for the 2019-20 season, has 11 points in his past 12 games for the Grizzlies. Dayne Finnson leads Victoria defencemen in scoring with 27 points, including two goals and an assist in a 7-3 win over West Kelowna on Friday.
鈥淚 think the guys are working hard and pucks are going in for them now, so we鈥檙e happy with how we鈥檝e arrived from the holiday break,鈥� Didmon said.
The league trade deadline beckons on Wednesday, but Didmon isn鈥檛 expecting to make any moves before the Grizzlies entertain Alberni Valley on Friday night and Powell River on Sunday afternoon.
NOTES: Since taking over the Clippers, Naylor is 4-1 behind the bench, with the only loss coming at home in a 4-3 setback to West Kelowna on Saturday. The four victories were all over Island Division opponents. 鈥� In other Nanaimo hockey news, Phil and Brenda Levesque are selling the VIJHL Buccaneers to Clayton Robinson, the head coach of the Chilliwack Midget AAA hockey team. Robinson plans to move to the Island. The Levesques founded the Bucs in 2012.
