Up 3-1 in the best-of-seven affair, the Grizzlies can close out the Clippers and try to get some rest, like the Powell River Kings who have already advanced to the Island Division final after an overtime victory in Duncan on Wednesday.
鈥淚 think it would be a good way to show appreciation for the fans. I think we should have a decent crowd,鈥� said Cole Pickup, who played hero with the game-tying and game-winning goals in the third period of Wednesday鈥檚 4-3 win in Nanaimo. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 want to go back up [to Nanaimo]. We鈥檇 like to finish it off.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a tough place to play,鈥� he added of Frank Crane Arena, which has produced some chaotic scenes behind the Grizzlies鈥� bench the last two games with unruly fans. 鈥淭hey play a good game in their own arena, but no matter what, they bring an intense game.
鈥淚 think their coach gets them fired up for games and, for sure, they鈥檒l be ready for Friday. I know they鈥檒l have some 20-year-olds on that team who don鈥檛 want to end their season on Friday,鈥� added Pickup.
The Grizzlies leading scorer knows the value of rest.
鈥淚t would be nice to get a couple of days off. The guys, of course, would like to get it done on Friday, but at the same time we can only focus one period at a time and break those periods into five-minute segments and make sure we win each one of those.鈥�
Since the Game 2 setback, the Grizzlies have responded to plenty of adversity, having lost defenceman Brett Stirling to a four-game suspension while also losing the services of Cam Thompson to a game misconduct and Lucas Clark to injury on Wednesday.
鈥淭here was plenty of adversity and, to be a good playoff team, you have to overcome adverse situations like that,鈥� said Grizzlies GM and head coach Craig Didmon.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a very hostile rink. There was trouble in the crowd again behind our bench,鈥� he added. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 have a lot of playoff experience and, all of a sudden, you see these boys growing into men and I鈥檓 very impressed with their level of battle.鈥�
Now they come home with a huge advantage.
鈥淲e still need to put a 60-minute game together. We had a lapse in the second period,鈥� Pickup said of allowing two goals to fall behind 3-2 on Wednesday. 鈥淲e need that full 60 minutes on Friday night or it鈥檒l go another game.鈥�
鈥淲e want to do this for our fans,鈥� added Didmon. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 play well in Game 2, we know that, and we owe it to our fans.鈥�
