BRIAN DREWRY
sa国际传媒
The Victoria Grizzlies’ big guns are firing on all cylinders and the sa国际传媒 Hockey League Club is reaping the benefits.
Matthew Wood, Connor Eddy and captain Ellis Rickwood combined for 11 points on Sunday afternoon at The Q Centre en route to a 7-0 blanking of the Powell River Kings. The victory gave the Grizzlies (19-16) a sweep of the two-game weekend set over the Kings (10-20-5) after Wood, Eddy and Rickwood combined for eight points in Saturday night’s 8-1 win over Powell River.
The 16-year-old Wood, who already has an NCAA Div. 1 scholarship to the University of sa国际传媒icut in his back pocket, scored twice on Sunday to push his league-leading goal total to 30 in 27 games. Rickwood’s five points on Sunday moved the Clarkson University committ into third overall in BCHL scoring with 52 points, one back of linemate Wood and six back BCHL scoring leader Simon Tassy of Salmon Arm. Eddy, headed to the NCAA and Northern Michigan next fall, had a goal and two assists on Sunday to move into seventh in league scoring with 46 points.
“Matthew is constantly working hard and adapting his game,” said Grizzlies GM and head coach Craig Didmon, whose clubs is now 5-0 against Powell River this season.
“Other teams are playing him real hard and he digs deep and finds ways to create offence. And Eddy and Rickwood have been a big part of his success. Those three compliment each other real well.”
Part of the reason the Grizzlies’ top line has been having success recently is Didmon seems to have found himself a legitimate second line that is a threat to score every shift. After months of tinkering with the lineup, Kalen Szeto centreing big wingers Andrew Amousse and Jack Gorton have come together to give the opposition fits as well. Szeto, a Yale University commit, scored twice and Gorton, who’s headed to Boston University in the fall off 2023, racked up three assists in Saturday’s win, and Gorton and A.I.C. committ Amousse each tallied on Sunday.
“It’s great to have Szeto healthy again because he is so dangerous in the offensive zone,” Didmon said. “And Amousse is a big, strong power forward and then Jack has complimented them very well with his size and finish.”
While the Grizzlies’ offence was peppering Kings netminder Zak Brice with 35 shots, Victoria goaltender Cole Shwebius was turning aside all of Powell River’s 31 shots to collect his first shutout of the season and move to 7-7 on the season.
The Grizzlies now hit the road for three games beginning Friday night in Coquitlam against the Express (9-20-1-2). Then it’s off to Chilliwack on Saturday to face the Chiefs (20-11-0-2), before heading to Langley for a Sunday afternoon matchup with the Coastal Conference-leading Rivermen (23-8-1-2).
LOOSE PUCKS: The Grizzlies were again without the injured Isack Bandu, Hoyt Stanley and Jackson Morehouse. Blue-liners Bandu and Stanley are expected to return at some point this weekend… . The Grizzlies next home game is Feb. 11 when the Rivermen pay a visit to The Q Centre.
